A trial court did not violate a father’s due process rights and properly terminated his parental rights because the father validly waived his participation in the best-interest hearing.

The denial of leave in Maes means that significant flaws in appellate case precedent have now been left intact, impacting hundreds of parental rights proceedings.

The opinion is troubling. It does not appear that the child was a victim of domestic violence or that mother failed to protect the child.