Except under circumstances where placement was with another relative of the child, any relative who has been denied adoptive placement by the Department of Social Services may request a hearing to determine if the placement was an abuse of discretion. The request shall be filed with the circuit court having jurisdiction pursuant to § 26-8A-29 and shall be filed within thirty days of written notification from the department by regular mail to the relative's last known address. The hearing shall be held within thirty days of the filing of the request for hearing and may be continued for not more than thirty days upon good cause shown. The relative shall be granted limited intervention only for the purpose of the placement review hearing.
No intervention may be allowed in a proceeding involving an apparent, alleged, or adjudicated abused or neglected child, including an adoption or guardianship proceeding for a child placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services pursuant to § 26-8A-27, except as provided by this chapter and under the Indian Child Welfare Act, (25 U.S.C. §§ 1901 to 1963, inclusive), as amended to January 1, 2019.