In a child protection proceeding, the maternal grandmother moved late in the process to be added as a party and advance a custody proposal for the children.
Applying the established discretionary factors for adding parties in child protection matters, the court held the motion materials were late, weak, and insufficiently responsive to the Society’s serious concerns about the proposed placement.
The court found adding the proposed party would not be shown to be in the children’s best interests, would inevitably prolong the proceeding, and was unnecessary because her proposed involvement could be advanced through the mother and by witness evidence.
The motion to add the maternal grandmother as a party was dismissed, the Society’s summary judgment motion was scheduled, and the existing order continued.
