In Re Calvert Children, Unpublished Decision (10-24-2005)

2005 Ohio 5653
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 24, 2005
DocketNos. 05-CA-19, 05-CA-20.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 2005 Ohio 5653 (In Re Calvert Children, Unpublished Decision (10-24-2005)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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In Re Calvert Children, Unpublished Decision (10-24-2005), 2005 Ohio 5653 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005).

Opinions

OPINION
{¶ 1} Appellant-Mother Jeanette Earley and Appellant-Father Ron Calvert separately appeal the judgment entered in the Guernsey County Court of Common Pleas, Family Court Division, which terminated all parental rights, privileges and responsibilities of appellants with regard to their minor children and ordered that permanent custody of the minor children be granted to the Guernsey County Children Services Board [hereinafter CSB] so that they may be placed for adoption.

{¶ 2} These appeals are expedited, and are being considered pursuant to App.R. 11.2(C). The relevant facts leading to this appeal are as follows.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS AND CASE
{¶ 3} Appellants Ron Calvert and Jeanette Earley are the natural parents of Jimmy Calvert (DOB 2/12/91), Margaret Calvert (DOB 2/20/95) and Tracie Calvert (DOB 6/25/00)[hereinafter minor children].

{¶ 4} Appellant-mother has a diagnosis of mild mental retardation with a full scale I.Q. between 55 and 56. (T. at 15, 17, 27). Appellant-father also has a diagnosis of mild mental retardation with a full scale I.Q. of 55 and also has a history of alcohol abuse. (T. at 50, 52, 55). Additionally, Appellant-father has been diagnosed with a personality disorder.

{¶ 5} On December 5, 2003, the Guernsey County Juvenile Court signed an Entry finding probable case to believe that the minor children may be abused and neglected based on a telephone communication from a CSB worker.

{¶ 6} On December 8, 2003, CSB filed a complaint in the Guernsey County Court of Common Pleas, Family Court Division, alleging that the children were neglected pursuant to R.C. 2151.03 and abused pursuant to R.C. 2151.031. A motion for temporary custody was also filed and the trial court held an emergency hearing. By Judgment Entry dated December 15, 2003, the trial court found that probable cause existed to find the children abused and neglected.

{¶ 7} On January 13, 2004, a pretrial was held in this matter.

{¶ 8} On January 26, 2004, Appellant-mother filed for custody.

{¶ 9} On January 26, 2004, CSB filed an amended motion for temporary custody and an amended complaint alleging that the children were also dependent pursuant to R.C. 2151.04.

{¶ 10} By Entry dated January 27, 2004, the trial court granted the motion for temporary custody.

{¶ 11} On February 23, 2004, an adjudicatory and dispositional hearing was held wherein the parents admitted that the minor children were dependent. Temporary custody was continued with CSB.

{¶ 12} On May 19, 2004, a further dispositional hearing and a hearing on the case plan was conducted.

{¶ 13} On September 24, 2004, CSB filed a motion for permanent custody.

{¶ 14} On December 6, 2004, the first half of a bifurcated permanent custody was held with the second half held on March 31, 2005.

{¶ 15} By Entry filed April 13, 2005, the trial court issued a Judgment Entry which granted permanent custody to CSB.

{¶ 16} On April 28, 2005, Appellant-mother filed a notice of appeal.

{¶ 17} On April 29, 2005, CSB filed a Motion to Clarify the Journal Entry granting permanent custody.

{¶ 18} On May 4, 2005, Appellant-father filed his notice of appeal.

{¶ 19} On June 6, 2005, the trial court filed a judgment entry clarifying the earlier journal entry.

{¶ 20} Thus, it is from this Judgment Entry that appellants now separately appeal, raising the following assignments of error:

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR
(APPELLANT-MOTHER, 05-CA-19)
{¶ 21} "I. APPELLANT WAS DEPREIVED [SIC] OF HER RIGHT TO EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL WITH THE RESULT THAT HIGHLY PREJUDICIAL EVIDENCE WAS INTRODUCED AGAINST HER.

{¶ 22} "II. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED AS A MATTER OF LAW AND COMMITTED PLAIN ERROR BY ACCEPTING THE APPELLANT'S ADMISSION THAT THE CHILDREN WERE DEPENDENT CHILDREN WITHOUT ENSURING THAT THE MOTHER UNDERSTOOD THE NATURE OF THE ALLEGATIONS AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF HER ADMISSIONS AS REQUIRED BY JUV.R. 29(D).

{¶ 23} "III. THE JUDGMENT OF THE TRIAL COURT WAS AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE IN THAT GUERNSEY COUNTY CHILDREN SERVICES BOARD FAILED TO SHOW BY CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT THE APPELLANTS' PARENTAL RIGHTS SHOULD BE TERMINATED."

(APPELLANT-FATHER, 04-CA-20)
{¶ 24} "I. THE COURT ERRED AS A MATTER OF LAW AND COMMITTED PLAIN ERROR BY ACCEPTING THE PARENTS' ADMISSIONS THAT THE CHILD WAS A DEPENDENT CHILD WITHOUT ENSURING THAT THE PARENTS UNDERSTOOD THE NATURE OF THE ALLEGATIONS AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ADMISSIONS AS REQUIRED BY JUV.R. 29(D).

{¶ 25} "II. THE TRIAL COURT'S FINDINGS WERE AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE; THE GUERNSEY COUNTY CHILDREN SERVICES BOARD FAILED TO SHOW BY CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT THE APPELLANTS' PARENTAL RIGHTS SHOULD BE TERMINATED.

{¶ 26} "III. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING THAT THE PARENTAL RIGHTS OF THE APPELLANT/PARENTS SHOULD BE TERMINATED BECAUSE THE PARENTS FAILED TO FULLY COMPLY WITH THE CASE PLAN."

I. (05-19)
{¶ 27} In the first assignment of error, Appellant-mother contends that she was deprived of the effective assistance of trial counsel. We disagree.

{¶ 28} Specifically, Appellant-mother claims that her former counsel did not object to the trial court's alleged failure to follow the mandates of Juv.R. 29 to ensure that she understood the consequences of her admission to the dependency.

{¶ 29} Upon review, we find that such admission was made at the February 23, 2004, hearing. As no appeal was taken from this hearing, this Court does not have jurisdiction to consider such assignment of error in that this appeal concerns only the March 31, 2005, judgment of the trial court granting permanent custody to the agency.

{¶ 30} Appellant-mother's first assignment of error is overruled.

II. (05-19) and I. (05-20)
{¶ 31} In Appellant-mother's second and Appellant-father's first assignment of error, each alleges that the trial court erred in accepting the appellants' admissions as to dependency with ensuring that Appellants understood the allegations and the consequences of such admissions. We disagree.

{¶ 32} Juvenile Rule 29(D), provides as follows:

{¶ 33} "The Court may refuse to accept an admission and shall not accept an admission without addressing the party personally and determining both of the following:

{¶ 34} "(1) The party is making the admission voluntarily with understanding of the nature of the allegations and the consequences of the admission;

{¶ 35}

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Bluebook (online)
2005 Ohio 5653, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-calvert-children-unpublished-decision-10-24-2005-ohioctapp-2005.