NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION
State of North Carolina
Mecklenburg County
District Court Division
File No. 26JT000035-590
In the Matter of:
J.H. (DOB: 04/25/2019), Female minor child
TO: The putative father B. Barnes and unknown father John Doe, address unknown, St. Johns County, Florida. J.H. was born to J. Hall on 04/25/2019 in St. Augustine located in St. Johns County, Florida.
TAKE NOTICE that a petition seeking the termination of your parental rights and obligations to the above-referenced minor child has been filed against you. The Court will conduct a hearing to determine whether one or more grounds alleged in the petition for terminating parental rights exist. If the Court finds that one or more grounds exist, the Court will proceed at that hearing or a later hearing to determine whether your parental rights should be terminated. The hearing will take place on June 10, 2026 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in person on the 8th floor of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse (courtroom 8350). You can contact the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Court, Juvenile Division, Mecklenburg County Courthouse at (704) 686-0620 immediately to obtain further information, ensure that the date, time, and place of the hearing has not changed, or to request a virtual link for the hearing if you reside out of state.
You are required to file a written answer to the petition within forty (40) days following _______, 2026, which date is the date of the first publication of this Notice; and upon your failure to file an answer within the time prescribed, the Petitioner will apply to the Court for an Order terminating your parental rights with respect to the said children.
You are entitled to attend any hearing held in this matter.
You have a right to be represented by a lawyer in this case. If you want a lawyer and cannot afford one, the Court will appoint a lawyer for you. If you are represented by a lawyer appointed previously in an abuse, neglect or dependency case, that lawyer may be able to represent you unless the Court orders otherwise. If you are not represented by a lawyer, unsure as to whether you are represented by a lawyer, or want a lawyer and cannot afford one, then you are encouraged to contact the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Court at (704) 686-0620 to request an attorney. At the first hearing, the Court will determine whether you qualify for a court-appointed lawyer. If you do not qualify, the lawyer will be released. (NOTE: If a lawyer is appointed for you and if the Court terminates your parental rights, you may become liable for repayment of the lawyer's fees, and a judgment for the amount of the fees may be entered against you.)
Rebekah Spaulding
Attorney for Mecklenburg County
Department of Social Services
Petitioner
Youth & Family Services Division
720 East Fourth Street, Suite 502
Charlotte, NC 28202
980-314-7281 (direct line)
