Adoption Of M.s.m.p

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMay 19, 2014
Docket69222-4
StatusPublished

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Bluebook
Adoption Of M.s.m.p, (Wash. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

In re Adoption of M.S.M.-P., a Minor. STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 69222-4-

A.K. AND S.K.

Respondents, DIVISION ONE

N.P. PUBLISHED OPINION

Appellant. FILED: May 19.2014

Spearman, C.J. —A.K. petitioned the court for an order terminating N.P.'s

parental rights to N.P.'s son, M.S.M.-P. and granting A.K. permanent legal custody

with the right to adopt M.S.M.-P. as his own child. In a hearing on the petition the

court heard testimony and took evidence regarding the termination and the

prospective adoption. Pursuant to RCW 26.33.060, the trial court closed the

hearing to the public, but did not follow the procedure under Seattle Times Co. v.

Ishikawa, 97 Wn.2d 30, 640 P.2d 716 (1982). The court granted the petition and

N.P. appeals, claiming the closure violated his right to a public trial under article I,

section 10 of the Washington State Constitution and the First Amendment to the

United States Constitution. We hold that, while N.P. raises a constitutional claim of No. 69222-4-1/2

error, because he does not demonstrate actual prejudice, he may not raise this

claim for the first time on appeal.

FACTS

M.S.M.-P., a minor, was born in April 2000 and is the biological child of S.K.

and N.P., who were never married.1 The relationship between S.K. and N.P. was a

violent one. On multiple occasions S.K. sought and obtained no-contact orders

against N.P. At least two incidents of domestic violence by N.P. against S.K.

occurred while S.K. was pregnant with M.S.M.-P. On one of these occasions, N.P.

kicked and hit S.K. in the stomach, knocked her to the ground and then threw her

on a bed. Within two weeks of M.S.M.-P's birth, his parents' relationship ended.

One month later, N.P. was jailed for violating the no-contact order. On one

occasion, N.P. assaulted S.K., breaking a wooden spoon over her thigh in front of

M.S.M.-P. Although M.S.M.-P. was only two years old at the time, he cried for

several hours after witnessing the assault. N.P. has also been convicted of felony

harassment for threatening to kill S. K. During the first three years of M.S.M.-P.'s

life N.P. visited him less than ten times. He has not seen M.S.M.-P. since then. He

has not acknowledged M.S.M.-P.'s birthdays, other holidays, or had any other

contact with him. Until this litigation commenced, M.S.M.-P. had no recollection of

N.P.

In 2002, when M.S.M.-P. was two years old, S.K. began a relationship with

A.K. S.K. and A.K. began living together in 2003 and married in 2008. Since he

began living with S.K., A.K. has cared for M.S.M.-P. and has been the only father

1 The entire file in this case is sealed. Initials will be used as necessary to identify parties and other individuals. No. 69222-4-1/3

M.S.M.-P. has known. In early 2010, A.K. decided to adopt M.S.M.-P. Even though

N.P. had had no contact with M.S.M.-P. for nearly seven years, he refused S.K.'s

request for his consent to the adoption.

On March 18, 2010, A.K. filed a petition to terminate N.P.'s parental rights

and to obtain permanent custody with the right to adopt.2 A hearing on the petition

was held on June 18, 2012. All parties were represented by counsel, but because

N.P. was incarcerated, he participated by phone. At the beginning of the hearing,

the trial court cited RCW 26.33.060 and engaged in the following exchange with

the parties' attorneys:

THE COURT: I read the materials which were submitted, including the various trial briefs. I looked at the statute on proceedings, [RCW] 26.33.060. It does say, in part: "The general public shall be excluded and only those persons shall be admitted whose presence is requested by any person entitled to notice under this chapter, or whom the judge finds to have a direct interest in the case or in the work of the Court." So I was proposing to put a sign on the courtroom door, indicating that the hearing was closed by law. And is there—anybody have any input or any thoughts about that at all? [Counsel for A.K.]: I think that would be fine. What we generally do in these proceedings is when someone walks in, we all look and see who it is. THE COURT: Okay. All right. [Counsel for N.P.]: No objection. THE COURT: Okay. All right.

2 Under RCW 26.33.100, a prospective adoptive parent seeking to adopt the child of a spouse may file a petition for termination of the parent-child relationship of a parent. The parent- child relationship

may be terminated upon a showing by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence that it is in the best interest of the child to terminate the relationship and that the parent has failed to perform parental duties under circumstances showing a substantial lack of regard for his or her parental obligations and is withholding consent to adoption contrary to the best interest of the child.

RCW 26.33.120(1). No. 69222-4-1/4

Verbatim Report Proceedings (VRP) at 5-6. Argument was heard and evidence

was taken while the courtroom was closed. N.P. testified by telephone from Coyote

Ridge Prison but did not otherwise listen in on the proceedings. At no time did N.P.

or his attorney object to the fact that the courtroom was closed, nor did either of

them request anyone's presence at the hearing.

The trial court made an oral ruling on June 20, 2012, granting the petition to

terminate N.P.'s parental rights and indicating the adoption would move forward.

A.K. thereafter filed a petition for adoption, which was granted. On July 27, 2012,

the trial court entered written findings of fact and conclusions of law terminating

N.P.'s parental rights, an order terminating N.P.'s parental rights, findings of fact

and conclusions of law as to the adoption petition, and a decree of adoption.3 N.P.

appeals, claiming only that the trial court violated his constitutional public trial

rights. His challenge to the trial court's findings of fact and conclusions of law is

based solely on his constitutional claim.

DISCUSSION

This court reviews claims based on article I, section 10 of the Washington

constitution de novo. In re Dependency of J.A.F. E.M.F.. V.R.F., 168 Wn. App.

653, 661, 278 P.3d 673 (2012). Whether a statute is constitutional is a question of

law reviewed de novo. In re Dependency of M.S.R. and T.S.R., 174 Wn.2d 1,13,

271 P.3d 234 (2012). Statutes are presumed constitutional. State v. McCuistion.

174 Wn.2d 369, 387, 275 P.3d 1092 (2012) cert, denied, 133 S.Ct. 1460, 135

L.Ed.2d 368 (2013). The party challenging the constitutionality of a statute bears

3At the time the petition for termination was filed, M.S.M.-P. was nine years old. At the time of trial, he was 12 years old. No. 69222-4-1/5

the burden to prove that it is unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt. In re

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