Trial court relied on an outdated statutory definition of “relative” when deciding to terminate a mother’s parental rights.

The termination of the mother’s rights under a best interests analysis must be vacated because the trial court did not address the child’s placement with a relative.

A trial court erred by exercising jurisdiction over a juvenile, therefore, the order terminating the respondent-father’s parental rights to the child had to be vacated.

The Michigan SCT vacated a COA decision that terminated an unknown biological father’s parental rights, and remanded the case to the trial court for further determinations.