In Re Interest of NM

484 N.W.2d 77, 240 Neb. 690
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1992
DocketS-91-217
StatusPublished
Cited by70 cases

This text of 484 N.W.2d 77 (In Re Interest of NM) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court 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 NM, 484 N.W.2d 77, 240 Neb. 690 (Neb. 1992).

Opinion

484 N.W.2d 77 (1992)
240 Neb. 690

In re Interest of N.M. and J.M., Children Under 18 Years of Age.
STATE of Nebraska, Appellee and Cross-Appellee,
v.
R.M., Appellant, and J.M., Appellee and Cross-Appellant.

No. S-91-217.

Supreme Court of Nebraska.

May 15, 1992.

*78 Ann E. Ebsen, Omaha, for appellant.

Milo Alexander, Omaha, for appellee J.M.

James S. Jansen, Douglas County Atty., Elizabeth G. Crnkovich, Omaha, and Donald C. Hosford, Jr., guardian ad litem, for appellee State.

HASTINGS, C.J., and BOSLAUGH, WHITE, CAPORALE, SHANAHAN, GRANT, and FAHRNBRUCH, JJ.

*79 PER CURIAM.

The natural parents of Nicole, born March 3, 1982, and James, born October 1, 1984, appeal from an order of the separate juvenile court of Douglas County terminating their rights to their two minor children. The mother and father each timely appealed. The father filed his notice of appeal after the mother's filing and is therefore designated an appellee. The father has no dispute with the mother's appeal, but only with the juvenile court's termination of his parental rights.

The mother, R.M., contends that the juvenile court erred (1) "in finding that clear and convincing evidence established that [the mother] had failed to comply with reasonable efforts ... to correct conditions leading to the determination" that the children were minors within Neb.Rev.Stat. § 43-247(3)(a) (Reissue 1988); (2) "in finding that the rehabilitative plan ... was fundamentally fair and reasonable and designed as a reasonable effort to correct the conditions" leading to the determination; and (3) "in failing to determine the best interests of the children." The father, J.M., assigns the same errors in regard to the termination of his rights, and additionally contends that the court erred (1) "in finding that the repeated admission of evidence of sexual abuse and the imposition of a plan requiring therapy for sexual abuse, despite the dismissal of all allegations of sexual abuse at the adjudication stage, did not constitute a denial of fundamental fairness and due process," and (2) in overruling the father's objection to the request for judicial notice of the court's own records.

For the reasons hereinafter stated, we reverse the judgment and remand the cause for further proceedings as to James, and reverse and dismiss the cause as to Nicole.

I.

The issue of jurisdiction is not raised by the parents, but, following the holding in In re Interest of D.M.B., 240 Neb. 349, 481 N.W.2d 905 (1992), we determine the juvenile court did not obtain jurisdiction over Nicole.

The record before us shows, in that regard, as follows: The children were removed from their parents' home on December 15, 1986, when the mother brought James to the hospital with severe cuts and bruises to his head and face. The children were apparently placed in foster care at this point.

On January 14, 1987, an amended petition was filed in the juvenile court. That petition alleged, in part:

COUNT I

[Nicole] was born March 3, 1982; [James] was born October 1, 1984; and said children are now living or to be found in Douglas County, Nebraska.

COUNT II

[Nicole] and [James] come within the meaning of Nebraska Revised Statutes, 1943, Section 43-247(3)(a), being under the age of eighteen years, and lacking proper parental care by reason of the faults or habits of [J.M., their father] and [R.M., their mother], natural parents of said children, in that:
A. On or about December 15, 1986, [James] sustained numerous lacerations and bruises to the head and face while in the care and custody of [J.M.].
B. [J.M.] and [R.M.] have given conflicting explanations as to the cause of these injuries; medical personnel indicate the injuries are not consistent with those explanations.
C. [Nicole] has been subjected to fondling of the genitals and oral sex by [J.M.] on at least three occasions in the past year.

An adjudication hearing was held on March 16, 1987. The father and the mother, each with separate counsel; an appointed guardian ad litem for the children; and a deputy county attorney were present. The county attorney told the court that the parents were "willing to admit to certain portions of the petition that I filed." The parents each then admitted count I and paragraphs A and B of count II, as set out *80 above. Leave was granted to the county attorney to strike paragraph C of count II.

The juvenile court found that Nicole and James were children within the meaning of § 43-247(3)(a) insofar as their parents, J.M. and R.M., are concerned. A written order filed the next day found that "Paragraph A and B of Count II are true" and that "the minor children are children within the meaning of Section 43-247(3a)...." It should be noted that the parents admitted only count I and paragraphs A and B of count II. The court found only that count I and paragraphs A and B of count II were true and that the children were within § 43-247(3)(a), without stating how the children were within that section. Thus, the only admissions made by the parents were not specifically addressed to the general provisions of the statutes concerning children who lack "parental care by reason of the fault or habits of [their parents]." The parents actually admitted very little.

The adjudication order contained no specific factual findings, although Neb.Rev.Stat. § 43-279.01(2) (Reissue 1988) provides:

After giving the parties the information prescribed in subsection (1) of this section, the court may accept an in-court admission ... from any parent or custodian as to all or any part of the allegations in the petition. The court shall ascertain a factual basis for an admission or an answer of no contest.

Insofar as Nicole is concerned, in the state of the pleadings, it would have been difficult to "ascertain a factual basis" for the parents' admissions.

In any event, we are faced with an adjudication order finding jurisdiction over Nicole, when there are no factual allegations, no evidence at the adjudication hearing, and no findings concerning the actions of either the father or the mother as to the child Nicole. Insofar as Nicole is concerned, we are acting in a void. In In re Interest of D.M.B., 240 Neb. at 352, 481 N.W.2d at 909, we held:

If the pleadings and evidence at the adjudication hearing do not justify a juvenile court acquiring jurisdiction of a child, then the juvenile court has no jurisdiction, i.e., no power, to order a parent to comply with a rehabilitation plan, nor does the juvenile court have any power over the parent or child at the disposition hearing unless jurisdiction is alleged and proven by new facts at a new adjudication-disposition hearing.

We hold the juvenile court had no jurisdiction over Nicole and that therefore this court has no jurisdiction either.

The cause as to Nicole is remanded to the juvenile court with directions to dismiss.

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Bluebook (online)
484 N.W.2d 77, 240 Neb. 690, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-interest-of-nm-neb-1992.