In re Michelle G.

727 A.2d 226, 52 Conn. App. 187, 1999 Conn. App. LEXIS 83
CourtConnecticut Appellate Court
DecidedMarch 9, 1999
DocketAC 18109
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 727 A.2d 226 (In re Michelle G.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Connecticut Appellate Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Michelle G., 727 A.2d 226, 52 Conn. App. 187, 1999 Conn. App. LEXIS 83 (Colo. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

[188]*188 Opinion

HENNESSY, J.

The applicant appeals from the judgment rendered by the Superior Court for Juvenile Matters dismissing his application for reinstatement as guardian of the person of the minor child, Michelle G. The applicant claims that the Superior Court improperly found that it lacked jurisdiction to grant the relief requested because he is not a parent or former guardian of Michelle G. as required by General Statutes § 45a-611.1

The following facts and procedural history are relevant to this appeal. The applicant and L were married prior to the time that L gave birth to Michelle G. on September 5, 1994. Michelle G. was hospitalized after her birth. The department of children and families placed Michelle G. with her maternal grandmother upon the child’s release from the hospital. Michelle G. never lived with her biological mother or the applicant.

On March 23, 1995, the Probate Court for the district of Manchester removed Michelle G.’s mother as guardian, finding that the mother had abandoned the child. During the same proceedings, the applicant consented [189]*189to his removal as guardian. The Probate Court appointed the maternal grandmother guardian of Michelle.

The applicant thereafter applied to the Probate Court to reinstate him as guardian of Michelle G. pursuant to § 45a-611. On November 8, 1996, the Probate Court denied the applicant’s application because he had been excluded from paternity as a result of a DNA analysis.2 On December 5, 1996, the Probate Court also ordered that the previous order granting the applicant visitation be rescinded because he had been excluded from paternity.

On August 27, 1997, the applicant filed another application for reinstatement of his guardianship with the Probate Court. In addition, the applicant filed a motion to have the matter transferred to the Superior Court pursuant to General Statutes § 45a-623. That motion was granted. On January 29, 1998, after a hearing, the Superior Court dismissed the application for lack of jurisdiction. On February 18, 1998, the applicant appealed to this court.

The applicant claims that the Superior Court improperly dismissed his application for lack of jurisdiction because it concluded that the applicant was neither a parent nor a former guardian and, therefore, did not have standing to apply for reinstatement as a guardian under § 45a~611.

In determining that the applicant was not a parent or former guardian, the Superior Court relied solely on the findings of the Probate Court and representations [190]*190made by counsel. Thus, the issue before us is whether it was proper for the Superior Court to rely solely on the Probate Court’s findings and on representations made by counsel to determine whether the applicant was a parent or a former guardian and, therefore, would have standing to apply for reinstatement as a guardian pursuant to § 45a-611.

Section 45a-611 allows any parent who has been removed as the guardian of the person of a minor, or any guardian, whose guardianship rights were previously removed, to apply for reinstatement as guardian of the person of a minor. Therefore, to have standing to apply for reinstatement pursuant to § 45a-611, the person applying must be either a parent or a former guardian.

“The question of standing implicates a court’s subject matter jurisdiction and, as such, may be raised at any time during the proceedings. . . . Housing Authority v. Local 1161, 1 Conn. App. 154, 157, 468 A.2d 1251, cert. denied, 192 Conn. 802, 471 A.2d 244 (1984).” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) Weidenbacher v. Duclos, 234 Conn. 51, 54 n.4, 661 A.2d 988 (1995). “[T]he question of subject matter jurisdiction, because it addresses the basic competency of the court, can be raised by any of the parties, or by the court sua sponte, at any time.” Daley v. Hartford, 215 Conn. 14, 27-28, 574 A.2d 194, cert. denied, 498 U.S. 982, 111 S. Ct. 513, 112 L. Ed. 2d 525 (1990).

We note, however, that “[w]hen issues of fact are necessary to the determination of a court’s jurisdiction, due process requires that a trial-like hearing be held, in which an opportunity is provided to present evidence and to cross-examine adverse witnesses. . . . Unisys Corp. v. Dept. of Labor, 220 Conn. 689, 695-96, 600 A.2d 1019 (1991).” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) Weidenbacher v. Duclos, supra, 234 Conn. 54 n.5. In addition, “it is well settled that statements of counsel [191]*191are not evidence. State v. Roman, 224 Conn. 63, 68, 616 A.2d 266 [1992], cert. denied, 507 U.S. 1039, 113 S. Ct. 1868, 123 L. Ed. 2d 488 [1993]; State v. Tillman, 220 Conn. 487, 496, 600 A.2d 738 (1991), cert. denied, 505 U.S. 1207, 112 S. Ct. 3000, 120 L. Ed. 2d 876 (1992).” State v. Sauris, 227 Conn. 389, 404, 631 A.2d 238 (1993).

The applicant claims that even if the results of the DNA test preclude him from being declared Michelle G.’s biological father, he remains her parent because, under Connecticut law, a validly married couple who have a child born to them during the marriage are deemed to be the parents and therefore the guardians of that child, and the subsequent removal of his guardianship does not result in the termination of his parental rights. Section 45a-611 (a) provides that “[a]ny parent who has been removed as the guar dian . . . of a minor, may apply . . . for reinstatement as the guardian . . . .” General Statutes § 45a-604 (3) defines “parent” as “a mother . . . or a ‘father’ as defined in subdivision (2) of this section . . . .” Section 45a-604 (2) defines father as “(A) a man who is a father under the law of this state; and (B) a man determined to be a father-under chapter 815y.”3

The trial court relied solely on the findings of the Probate Court that the applicant was not the biological father of Michelle G. Specifically, the Superior Court stated that “[t]he Probate Court did make a finding and was undoubtedly persuaded by the results of the paternity test, which I certainly think rebut the presumption [that a child bom in the course of a legally valid marriage is the issue of that marriage]. Since the issue of guardianship derived only from his putative fatherhood . . . once it is established that he is not the father . . . there’s no legal basis to restore that [192]*192guardianship.”4 There is nothing in the transcript from the proceedings indicating that the Superior Court held an evidentiary hearing relating to the applicant’s claim that he remains a father under the laws of the state.

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Bluebook (online)
727 A.2d 226, 52 Conn. App. 187, 1999 Conn. App. LEXIS 83, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-michelle-g-connappct-1999.