SUMMONS AND NOTICE BY PUBLICATION OF PETITION/HEARING RE: RELINQUISHMENT OF PARENT/CHILD RELATIONSHIP AS TO BIRTHFATHER IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF SPOKANE

Liz Powell, Spokane Valley News Herald | Last updated Dec 12, 2024 1:13pm0

NO. 24-5-00571-32

In Re the Interest of: HEATH LEVERETT

AKA BABY BOY ROUSH,

(DOB: 10/24/2024)

A Person under the age of 18.

The State of Washington to the said: “Keith” and “John Doe”, alleged biological fathers of Heath Leverett aka Baby Boy Roush, (DOB: 10/24/2024) and anyone with a paternal interest.

1. You have been named as the father or a possible father of the above-named child. A Petition for Relinquishment or Termination of Parent-Child Relationship has been filed in the above-entitled court by Petitioner, Alexandra Roush. The Petitioner is asking the Court for an order permanently terminating the parent-child relationship between you and the child, permanently terminating all of your rights to the child, and for a decree of adoption declaring the prospective adoptive parents, Daniel Jerome Tatara and Tasha Rae Tatara, to be the legal parents of the child.

2. The child, Heath Leverett aka Baby Boy Roush, was born on October 24, 2024 in Spokane, Washington. The child’s biological mother is Alexandra Roush.

3. The court hearing on this matter shall be held on January 10, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in the Spokane County Superior Court; Room 202, 1116 W. Broadway, Spokane, Washington. Your failure to appear at this hearing may result in a Default Order permanently terminating all of your rights to the above-named child.

4. In order to defend against this petition, you must respond to the petition by stating your defense in writing and by serving a copy on the person signing this summons and by filing the original with the clerk of the court. If you do not serve your written response within (1) twenty (20) days if you are served personally within the State of Washington, (2) thirty (30) days if you are served personally outside the State of Washington, or (3) thirty (30) days if you are served by publication, from the date of service of this summons and notice, an order permanently terminating your parent-child relationship with the child will be entered by default. A default order is one where the petitioners are entitled to what they ask for because you have not responded. If you serve a notice of appearance on Mark R. Iverson at the address below, you are entitled to notice before a default order may be entered.

5. One method of serving your response is to send it by certified mail with return receipt requested, if service is made by mail. The service shall be deemed complete upon the third day following the day upon which the response is placed in the mail, unless the third day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, in which event service shall be deemed complete on the first day other than a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, following the third day.

6. You are further notified that any non-consenting parent or alleged father has the right to be represented by an attorney, and an attorney will be appointed for an indigent person who requests an attorney. You are further notified that you have a right to file a claim of paternity under Chapter 26.26 RCW.

You are further notified that your failure to file a claim of paternity within 30 days of the date of service of this notice and Summons upon you or your failure to respond to the Petition within 30 days of the date of service of Summons & Notice upon you, is grounds to terminate your parent/child relationship with respect to the child.

8. If the child is an Indian child as defined by the Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 U.S.C. SS 1901-1921 (1978), and if you acknowledge paternity of the child, or if your paternity of the child is established prior to the termination of the parent-child relationship, your parental rights may not be terminated unless you give valid consent to termination, or your parent-child relationship is terminated involuntarily pursuant to chapter 26.33 or 13.34.

YOUR FAILURE TO RESPOND MAY RESULT IN A DEFAULT ORDER PERMANENTLY TERMINATING ALL OF YOUR RIGHTS TO THE ABOVE-NAMED CHILD.

DATED this 27th day of November, 2024.

MARK R. IVERSON, P.S.

/S/ MARK R. IVERSON MARK R. IVERSON, WSBA# 18312

Attorney for Petitioner/Birthmother

FILE ORIGINAL WITH THE CLERK OF THE COURT AT:

Clerk of the Court Spokane County Court

1116 West Broadway, Rm. 300

Spokane, WA 99260-0350

(509) 477-2211

SERVE A COPY OF YOUR RESPONSE ON:

MARK R. IVERSON