Dependency Of A.d. Mohammad Dabbagh v. Dshs

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedApril 18, 2016
Docket73055-0
StatusPublished

This text of Dependency Of A.d. Mohammad Dabbagh v. Dshs (Dependency Of A.d. Mohammad Dabbagh v. Dshs) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dependency Of A.d. Mohammad Dabbagh v. Dshs, (Wash. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

In the Matter of the Dependency of No. 73055-0-I A.D., (consolidated with Nos. 73056-8-I and DOB: 12/24/1997, 73057-6-I) R.D., DOB: 9/3/2003, DIVISION ONE A.D., DOB: 9/14/2008, PUBLISHED OPINION

MOHAMMED DABBAGH,

Appellant,

v.

STATE OF WASHINGTON, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES,

Respondent.

In the Matter of the Dependency of (consolidated with Nos. 73157-2-1, 73158-1-1, and 73159-9-1) A.D., DOB: 12/24/1997, R.D., DOB: 9/3/2003, A.D., DOB: 9/14/2008,

IBTISSAM NAKALJI,

STATE OF WASHINGTON, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND FILED: April 18,2016 HEALTH SERVICES,

Respondent. No. 73055-0-1 / 2

Trickey, A.C.J. — Ibtissam Nakalji and Mohammed Dabbagh appeal the

termination of their parental rights. Nakalji argues that the trial court denied her due

process by excluding her from the courtroom while her son testified. We hold that the

trial court adequately protected Nakalji's due process rights by allowing her attorney and

guardian ad litem to remain in the courtroom during the testimony and granting a recess

to confer with her before cross-examination. We affirm the trial court's decision to

terminate her parental rights because substantial evidence supported its findings.

Dabbagh challenges the termination of his parental rights on the basis that the best

interest of the child standard is constitutionally vague. Because Dabbagh does not show

how the standard was vague as applied to him, we affirm the termination of his parental

rights as well.

FACTS

Mohammed1 Dabbagh and Ibtissam Nakalji are the biological parents of four

children: S.D. born June 22,1996;2 A.D., born December 24,1997; R.D., born September

3, 2003; and A.D.2,3 born September 14, 2008.

In June 2012, S.D. disclosed that Dabbagh had been sexually abusing her for the

pastfive years. Law enforcement officers placed S.D. in protective custody and arrested Dabbagh. The State removed the remaining three children from Nakalji's custody several days later because she was unable to parent them without Dabbagh. The court found Nakalji to be incompetent and appointed her a guardian ad litem.

1There are several different spellings in the record ofappellant Mohammed Dabbagh'sfirst name. We adopt the spelling "Mohammed" because it was used in the appellate case caption, the brief filed by Dabbagh, and the respondent's brief filed by the State. 2Because S.D. was over 18 during the termination trial, she is not a party to this case. 3The two boys share the initials "A.D." We referto the younger son as A.D.2. No. 73055-0-1 / 3

For the next year, A.D., R.D., and A.D.2 lived with their paternal uncle. In June

2013, the children moved to a foster home, where they remained through January 2015.

Their foster parents expressed interest in adopting them.

During the dependency, Dabbagh attended parenting classes and counseling for

domestic violence. Because he continued to deny that he had sexually abused S.D., he

was found unamenable to treatment for sexual deviancy. Nakalji also continued to deny

that Dabbagh abused S.D.

Nakalji had suffered from depression since at least 2007. As her depression worsened, she became less engaged in the court proceedings and even stopped

participating in the children's visits at her home. Her depression ultimately resulted in her hospitalization in April 2014. While hospitalized, Nakalji began taking medication for depression and psychosis. Her depression and engagement improved over the next few months, but she remained extremely dependent on Dabbagh for her own needs and for guidance on parenting.

In December 2014, the State petitioned to have Dabbagh's and Nakalji's parental rights terminated. The termination fact-finding took place in January 2015. The children's current and former social workers, Nakalji's mental health providers, A.D., two visitation

supervisors, and the children's guardian ad litem all testified for the State. The State also played S.D.'s videotaped deposition. Dabbagh testified, atthe State's request. The court excluded Dabbagh and Nakalji from the courtroom during A.D.'s testimony. The court terminated both parents' rights. Dabbagh and Nakalji appeal. No. 73055-0-1/4

ANALYSIS

Exclusion of Nakalji during A.D.'s Testimony

Nakalji contends that the trial court erred and violated her right to due process

when it excluded her from the courtroom during A.D.'s testimony. We reject this argument

and hold that the court adequately protected Nakalji's rights.

Parents are guaranteed due process when the State seeks to terminate their

parental rights. In re Welfare of L.R.. 180 Wn. App. 717, 723, 324 P.3d 737 (2014); U.S.

Const, amend XIV; Wash. Const, art. I, § 3. The State must give parents "notice, an

opportunity to be heard and defend, and the right to be represented by counsel." L.R.,

180 Wn. App. at 723. Although the right to be heard "'ordinarily includes the right to be

present,"' that right is not absolute. In re Welfare of S.E.. 63 Wn. App. 244, 248-49, 820

P.2d 47 (1991) (emphasis omitted) (quoting In re Houts, 7 Wn. App. 476, 480-81, 499 P.2d 1276 (1972)). The court may exclude a parent from part of her termination of

parental rights hearing, so long as the procedures satisfy due process. S.E., 63 Wn. App.

at 251.

To determine if a specific procedure adequately protects a parent's right to due

process, the court engages in a three-factor balancing test. Krause v. Catholic Cmtv. Servs., 47 Wn. App. 734, 738, 737 P.2d 280 (1987) (test derived from Mathews v.

Eldridqe. 424 U.S. 319, 335, 96 S. Ct. 893, 47 L. Ed. 2d 18 (1976)). The three factors

are the private interest at stake, the government interest at stake, and the risk of error created by the procedure. In re Dependency ofT.R., 108 Wn. App. 149, 154-55, 29 P.3d 1275(2001). No. 73055-0-1 / 5

We review alleged due process violations de novo. In re Pet, of June Johnson,

179 Wn. App. 579, 584, 322 P.3d 22, review denied sub nom. In re Pet, of Johnson. 181

Wn.2d 1005, 332 P.3d 984 (2014).

Here, the court excluded Nakalji and Dabbagh from the courtroom while A.D.

testified. A.D. testified about witnessing Dabbagh sexually assault S.D. He also

described how Nakalji's mental illness impacted him and his older sister.

He testified that Nakalji had been depressed for as long as he could remember

and would often sit on the couch and talk to herself, forcing S.D. to take care of A.D.2.

He explained that, as recently as October 2014, Nakalji still relied on Dabbagh to tell her

what to do during visits and that Nakalji would not be able to stand up to Dabbagh

because she was too loyal and dependent on him. Finally, A.D. testified that he had seen

positive changes in himself since the dependency began, and he wanted the court to

terminate his parents' rights.

The court permitted Nakalji's attorney and guardian ad litem to remain in the

courtroom during the testimony. The court also promised to "adequately grant requests"

for breaks so that the attorneys would have an opportunity to confer with the parents and

prepare for cross-examination.

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