In re Interest of F.E.N.

542 S.W.3d 752
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 6, 2018
DocketNO. 14–17–00598–CV
StatusPublished
Cited by86 cases

This text of 542 S.W.3d 752 (In re Interest of F.E.N.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Interest of F.E.N., 542 S.W.3d 752 (Tex. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinions

Martha Hill Jamison, Justice

We issued our original majority opinion in this case on January 11, 2018. Appellee filed a motion for rehearing and motion for en banc reconsideration. We withdraw the previous majority opinion of January 11, 2018, issue this substitute majority opinion, and deny appellee's motion for rehearing. Appellee's motion for en banc reconsideration is denied as moot.

This is an appeal from a judgment terminating the parental rights of M.H. (Mother)1 and C.N. (Father) and appointing the Department of Family and Protective Services sole managing conservator of the child, F.E.N. (Fay).2 Father contends (1) there was legally and factually insufficient evidence to support the findings necessary for termination, (2) the trial court proceedings violated his due process rights, and (3) the trial court erred in appointing the Department as sole managing conservator of Fay. We reverse that portion of the trial court's judgment terminating Father's parental rights and render judgment denying the Department's request for termination. We further reverse the order of the trial court naming the Department sole managing conservator and remand to the trial court for a determination of conservatorship. We affirm the remainder of the trial court's judgment terminating Mother's parental rights.

BACKGROUND

I. Procedural History

In January 2011, the Department received a referral of neglectful supervision of Fay by Mother. It was reported that Mother placed Fay, who was 11 months old, at substantial risk of harm through inadequate supervision, drug usage, and domestic violence. Father was not contacted at that time.

The Department filed a petition for protection of a child, conservatorship, and termination in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship (First Suit). Father, identified as the "alleged father," was named in the First Suit, but not served. The Department was named temporary managing conservator of Fay during the pendency of the proceedings. Fay was returned to Mother and on February 24, 2012, a decree was signed granting the Department sole managing conservatorship of Fay and naming Mother a possessory conservator of Fay. The decree made no findings as to Father.3 The decree did not terminate either parent's parental rights to Fay.

Approximately five months later, Fay was again removed from Mother based on Mother's positive test for cocaine. In early 2013, Mother filed a motion to modify the parent-child relationship. Subsequently, the Department filed an "original motion to modify conservatorship and for termination of the parent-child relationship" (Second Suit). The Department's motion requested modification of the February 24, 2012 order, to which Father was not a party. Father was again identified as an "alleged father." As to Father, the Second *759Suit is an original custody determination and termination suit.

An acknowledgement of paternity naming Father as Fay's biological father was filed. Father filed a waiver of service and his answer. On September 6, 2013, an order was signed suspending visitation, as to Father, until paternity was established and he provided a clean drug test.4 Father took both tests, but his visitation with Fay was not resumed. Almost two years later, Mother filed a voluntary relinquishment. The case went to trial May 10, 2017, four years after it was filed. The order terminating both parents' rights and appointing the Department as sole managing conservator of Fay was signed June 22, 2017. The order also adjudicated Father's paternity as to Fay.

II. Trial Proceedings

A. Evidence about Father

Father5 testified he was in a relationship with Mother for one to two years and lived with Mother prior to Fay's birth. Father has been employed as a shrimper for twenty to thirty years. As a result of his work, Father is out to sea five to ten times a year for five to six weeks at a time. Father visited Fay when he was home from work and provided monetary support to Mother and Fay. Mother testified Father visited whenever he could, helped with Fay, financially provided anything she needed, was a good father, and would do anything for Fay.

Father was out to sea when Fay was first removed from Mother. During the original proceedings for conservatorship and termination, Father provided funds for Mother to retain a lawyer. Father believed the lawyer retained by Mother was working on his behalf as well. Mother testified Father and the retained lawyer spoke about paternity. Father acknowledged he did not retain a lawyer for himself.

Mother testified she told Father a bit about the case, but did not provide him all of the information, telling him everything was taken care of. Mother admitted she kept Father "out of the loop" on some things because initially she wanted Fay to live with her mother to be closer to her.

The Department caseworker testified that Father first participated in the case in late 2013, when she was assigned to the case. She testified her notes indicated Father refused to sign a service plan provided by a previous caseworker, but she could not confirm if the previous caseworker provided a translator during the interaction or if Father knew what he had been given. The new caseworker did not present Father a service plan. Father testified the Department did not provide him with a service plan and that he was not provided a translator during his interactions with the Department.

The caseworker further testified that Father had not provided any support for Fay since 2013. Father acknowledged he had not sent financial support to anyone since 2014, but stated he was not asked to provide financial support and he was not provided information about where to send support. He testified he would have provided financial support if it was requested.6

*760Because of a 2013 court order suspending his visitation, Father had not seen Fay in approximately three years. Father testified that he asked the court for visitation approximately three to four years prior to trial. He assumed that, because Mother was not allowed to visit Fay, he was not allowed to visit Fay either.

Father wanted to have "my child back to the family." When he goes out to sea, he wants his current girlfriend to watch Fay for him.

B. Evidence about Fay

Fay was placed with her current foster family in March 2013, when she was three years old. When she first arrived, she repeated things the foster family said and when asked her name she simply said "name." Fay starting seeing a psychologist in January 2014. The psychologist testified Fay initially presented with echolalia (repetition of words spoken by another), select mutism, and difficulty engaging and attaching to others. The psychologist felt Fay's problems stemmed from a parent or caregiver being intermittently unavailable.

Fay's foster mother testified today she is a thriving, wonderful seven year old. Fay has friends in the community and excels in school. The psychologist testified she has improved since placement with her foster family.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
542 S.W.3d 752, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-interest-of-fen-texapp-2018.