In re A.S.

183 Ohio App. 3d 697
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 10, 2009
DocketNos. CA2009-03-071, CA2009-03-083 and CA2009-03-088
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 183 Ohio App. 3d 697 (In re A.S.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re A.S., 183 Ohio App. 3d 697 (Ohio Ct. App. 2009).

Opinions

Bressler, Presiding Judge.

{¶ 1} Appellants, Amy S., Sheila S., and the child, A.S., appeal the decision of the Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, granting permanent custody of a minor child to appellee, Butler County Department of Job & Family Services (“BCDJFS”).

{¶ 2} Amy is A.S.’s biological mother, and Sheila is A.S.’s maternal grandmother. A.S.’s biological father is also Amy’s biological father, and the father is not a party to this appeal. A.S. was born as a result of an incestuous relationship between Amy and her father. On November 9, 2005, BCDJFS filed a complaint alleging A.S. to be dependent. In this complaint, BCDJFS alleges that it has had a lengthy history with this family dating back to 1990 over concerns of domestic violence and physical and sexual abuse, and that several of A.S.’s siblings have [700]*700previously been adjudicated dependent. The complaint further alleges that Amy was arrested for domestic violence against A.S.’s sibling on October 29, 2005. After an ex parte hearing, the juvenile court awarded emergency temporary custody of A.S. to his adult sister, Tabitha M. In addition, a case plan to reunify A.S. with both Amy and Sheila was implemented.

{¶ 3} On February 8, 2006, the juvenile court adjudicated A.S. dependent. The court granted Amy and Sheila supervised visitation with A.S. at this time.

{¶ 4} On February 22, 2006, Sheila filed a motion requesting an emergency shelter care hearing, alleging that A.S. should be removed from Tabitha’s home because there was a risk of immediate harm to A.S. After a hearing on March 29, 2006, the juvenile court terminated the order of temporary custody to Tabitha and placed A.S. in the temporary custody of BCDJFS.

{¶ 5} On May 24, 2006, the juvenile court held a dispositional hearing. Amy failed to appear for the hearing, and Sheila attended the hearing and requested temporary custody of A.S. The juvenile court denied Sheila’s request but permitted her to continue supervised visitation with A.S.

{¶ 6} On January 16, 2007, the juvenile court held a review hearing and ordered that Sheila could transport A.S. to the home of Amanda Miller, who is A.S.’s maternal aunt, in Kentucky for unsupervised visitations. However, on August 8, 2007, BCDJFS moved to change the visitation arrangements between Sheila and A.S. after A.S. reported being hurt by his mother, grandmother, siblings, and other relatives on multiple occasions. On that date, the juvenile court held an ex parte hearing and rescinded its previous order permitting unsupervised visitations between Sheila and A.S., and granted Sheila supervised visitations with A.S.

{¶ 7} On August 22, 2007, BCDJFS moved to suspend visitation between Sheila and A.S., and on September 20, 2007 a juvenile court magistrate granted the motion. Sheila objected to the juvenile court magistrate’s decision, and on November 28, 2007, the juvenile court sustained her objection in part. At that time, the juvenile court ordered that A.S. be moved to a different foster placement and that both Amy and Sheila could resume supervised visitations with A.S.

{¶ 8} On November 29, 2007, BCDJFS moved for permanent custody, stating that A.S. cannot be placed with either parent within a reasonable time and should not be placed with either parent, that neither parent can provide adequate parental care for A.S., and that granting permanent custody of A.S. to BCDJFS is in the child’s best interest. On April 8, 2008, Amy moved for legal custody of A.S.

[701]*701{¶ 9} The juvenile court held a trial before a magistrate on the custody motions in several parts, from May 2008 to October 2008. On November 18, 2008, before the juvenile court magistrate issued a decision, Sheila moved for legal custody of A.S.

{¶ 10} On January 12, 2009, the magistrate issued a decision granting BGDJFS’s motion for permanent custody. Both Amy and Sheila objected to the magistrate’s decision, and on February 9, 2009, the juvenile court overruled all objections and adopted the magistrate’s findings and orders.

{¶ 11} Amy, Sheila, and A.S., through his attorney, separately appeal the juvenile court’s decision. In their appeals, Amy raises one assignment of error, Sheila raises three assignments of error, and A.S. raises one assignment of error. Amy’s sole assignment of error, Sheila’s second and third assignments of error, and A.S.’s assignment of error will be discussed together.

{¶ 12} Amy’s Assignment of Error:

{¶ 13} “The trial court erred to the prejudice of appellant by granting the agency’s motion for permanent custody.”

{¶ 14} Sheila’s Assignment of Error No. 2:

{¶ 15} “The court erred as a matter of fact and law and abused its discretion when it found terminating the parental rights of the mother and not reunifying with appellant to be in the child’s best interest because such was not the only means of obtaining a legally secure permanent placement for the child, such was not supported by clear and convincing evidence and/or [sic] because permanent custody was not in the child’s best interest.”

{¶ 16} Sheila’s Assignment of Error No. 3:

{¶ 17} “The court’s decision and order of permanent custody was against the manifest weight of the evidence, there was insufficient evidence to support the trial court’s findings and the evidence presented failed to meet the requisite clear and convincing standard.”

{¶ 18} A.S.’s Assignment of Error:

{¶ 19} “The juvenile court erred as a matter of law and abused its discretion when it found that terminating mother’s parental rights was in the child’s best interest.”

{¶ 20} Initially, we note that Sheila, who is not a parent of this child, has presented several arguments under her assignments of error. While Sheila was considered as a potential custodian of the child, the juvenile court was not obligated to do so pursuant to her motion for legal custody filed on November 18, 2008. “Any person who seeks an award of legal custody of a child must, in accordance with [R.C. 2151.353 and Juv.R. 34] file a motion, prior to the [702]*702dispositional hearing, requesting such custody.” In re L.R.T., 165 Ohio App.3d 77, 2006-Ohio-207, 844 N.E.2d 914, ¶ 13. However, we will consider Sheila’s arguments as they pertain to the juvenile court’s decision granting BCDJFS’s motion for permanent custody.

{¶ 21} Before a natural parent’s constitutionally protected liberty interest in the care and custody of his child may be terminated, the state is required to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the statutory standards for permanent custody have been met. Santosky v. Kramer (1982), 455 U.S. 745, 759, 102 S.Ct. 1388, 71 L.Ed.2d 599. An appellate court’s review of a juvenile court’s decision granting permanent custody is limited to whether sufficient credible evidence exists to support the juvenile court’s determination. In re Starkey, 150 Ohio App.3d 612, 2002-Ohio-6892, 782 N.E.2d 665, ¶ 16. A reviewing court will reverse a finding by the juvenile court that the evidence was clear and convincing only if there is a sufficient conflict in the evidence presented. In re Rodgers

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183 Ohio App. 3d 697, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-as-ohioctapp-2009.