In re M. N. M.

524 S.W.3d 396, 2017 WL 2819349, 2017 Tex. App. LEXIS 5941
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 29, 2017
DocketNO. 14-17-00328-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 524 S.W.3d 396 (In re M. N. M.) 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 M. N. M., 524 S.W.3d 396, 2017 WL 2819349, 2017 Tex. App. LEXIS 5941 (Tex. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

OPINION

William J. Boyce, Justice

The Department of Family and Protective Services removed a two-year-old child [397]*397from the possession of parents M.N.M. (“Mother”) and R.K. (“Father”) without a court order. See generally Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 262.104 (Vernon 2014 <& Supp. 2016). After removal, the trial court signed a Temporary Order Following Adversary Hearing; among other things, the trial court determined in this order that sufficient evidence supported findings precluding return of the removed child to her parents. See id. § 262.201(b) (Vernon Supp. 2016).

Mother and Father filed a petition for writ of mandamus challenging the Temporary Order Following Adversary Hearing. See Tex. Gov’t Code Ann. § 22.221 (Vernon 2004); see also Tex. R. App. P. 52. They ask for a writ directing the trial court to (1) vacate the order, which appointed the Department to be temporary managing conservator of relators’ child, and (2) return the child to relators.

We conditionally grant the petition for writ of mandamus because the hearing record lacks sufficient evidence to satisfy a person of ordinary prudence and caution that an urgent need for protection requiring the child’s immediate removal existed at the time of removal. See Tex. Fam. Code § 262.201(b)(2).

Factual and Procedural Background

Mother was the child’s primary caretaker. On March 1, 2017, the Department received a referral alleging that (1) Mother negligently supervised the child by leaving her unattended in a car for approximately 40 minutes while Mother received medical treatment at a hospital; and (2) Mother appeared to be unstable and under the influence of an unknown substance while at the hospital. According to testimony, the allegation concerning the child being left alone in a car was erroneous. The second allegation was not corroborated.

On March 9, 2017, the Department’s caseworker met with Mother at her home and asked her to take a drug test. Mother voluntarily submitted to a drug test the next day. The Department received hair follicle test results on or about March 20, 2017; these results indicated Mother had tested positive for the presence of amphetamines and methamphetamines. The Department took possession of the child without a court order on Friday, March 24, 2017, and filed a petition seeking temporary managing conservatorship of the child on Monday, March 27, 2017. The trial court signed an Order for Protection of a Child in an Emergency and Notice of Hearing on March 27.

Under Family Code section 262.201, a full adversary hearing must be held not later than 14 days after removal unless the trial court grants an extension. The trial court signed an order on April 6, 2017, in which it set the adversary hearing for April 20, 2017.

Following a full adversary hearing, section-262.201 mandates return of a child who has been removed without a court order unless the trial court makes certain findings based upon evidence sufficient to satisfy a person of ordinary prudence and caution. Here, the trial court signed a temporary order on April 20 after the adversary hearing in which it appointed the Department as the child’s temporary managing conservator. The April 20 temporary order includes findings invoking certain language from the statutory criteria for refusing to return a removed child to the parent:

• There was a danger to the child’s physical health or safety caused by an act or failure to act of the person entitled to possession, and allowing the child to remain in the home is contrary to the child’s welfare. See [398]*398Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 262.201(b)(1).
• An urgent need for protection rer quired the child’s immediate removal and makes efforts to eliminate or prevent the child’s removal impossible or unreasonable. Cf. id. § 262.201(b)(2) (“the urgent need for protection required the immediate removal of the child and reasonable efforts,, consistent -with the circumstances and providing for the safety of the child, were made to eliminate or prevent the child’s removal ... ”).
■ -Notwithstanding reasonable efforts to eliminate the need for the child’s removal and enable the child to return home, there is a substantial risk of a continuing danger if the child is returned home. See id. § 262.201(b)(3).
• There is a continuing danger to the child’s physical health or safety, and allowing the child to' remain in the home is contrary to the child’s welfare. Id. § 262.201(c).
• The Department made reasonable efforts consistent with the child’s health and safety to prevent or eliminate the need for the child’s removal and make it possible for the child to • return home, but continuation in the home Would be contrary, to the child’s welfare. Id. §§ 262.201(b)(2), (3). ..
• Placing the child with the child’s noncustodial parent or with a rela- ' tive is inappropriate and is not in the child’s best interest. Id. § 262.201(e).
• Appointing the parents as managing conservators is not in the child’s best interest .because the appointment would significantly impair the child’s physical health and emotional development. Id. at § 153.131(a)-(b) (Vernon 2014).

An April 6, 2017 urinalysis test of Mother showed a positive result for methamphet-amines, which indicated-that Mother had used the drug within- three days of the test; A post-removal drug test of Father showed a positive result for cocaine at a level that indicated more than- a one-time use. On April 27, 2017, Mother and Father filed their petition for .writ of mandamus with this court challenging the April 20 temporary, order. The Department filed a response to the petition for writ of mandamus at this court’s request.

The trial court held status hearings on May 17. and May 30, 2017. The trial court signed an order on May 17 in which it (1) placed the child with a relative of Mother, and (2) required this, relative to supervise visitation between the child , and her parents. The trial court signed an additional Status Hearing Order on May 30, 2017; among other things, this May .30 order directs the parents to “complete all services on the Family Plan of Service” and orders continued supervision of the parents’ visits with the child. Thé May 30 order finds that “the goal of the' service plans is to return the child to the parents, and the plans adequately ensure that reasonable efforts are being made to enable the parents to provide a safe environment for the child.”

Mandamus Standard

To obtain mandamus relief, a relator generally must show both -that the trial court clearly abused its discretion and that; the relator has no. adequate remedy by appeal. In re Prudential Ins. Co. of Am., 148 S.W.3d 124, 135-36 (Tex. 2004) (orig. proceeding). The April 20 temporary order is an order in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship that is not.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In Re A.S. v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2023
in Re: Vanessa Arp
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2021
in Re K. L. M.
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2019
In the Interest of E.R.W.
528 S.W.3d 251 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2017)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
524 S.W.3d 396, 2017 WL 2819349, 2017 Tex. App. LEXIS 5941, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-m-n-m-texapp-2017.