In re P.O.

2015 Ohio 4774
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 16, 2015
Docket2015-G-0028
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 2015 Ohio 4774 (In re P.O.) 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 P.O., 2015 Ohio 4774 (Ohio Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

[Cite as In re P.O., 2015-Ohio-4774.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

ELEVENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO

IN THE MATTER OF: P.O., K.O., G.P., : OPINION AND A.P., DEPENDENT CHILDREN. : CASE NO. 2015-G-0028 :

Appeal from the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division. Case No. 13 JF 000332.

Judgment: Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.

Anita B. Staley, Barthol & Staley, L.P.A., 7327 Center Street, Mentor, OH 44060 (For Appellant – Brittany Ponn).

James R. Flaiz, Geauga County Prosecutor, and Abbey L. King, Assistant Prosecutor, Courthouse Annex, 231 Main Street, Suite 3A, Chardon, OH 44024 (For Appellee – Geauga County Jobs and Family Services).

Jeffrey T. Orndorff, Jeffrey T. Orndorff Co., L.P.A., 117 South Street, #110, P.O. Box 1137, Chardon, OH 44024-5137 (Guardian ad litem for P.O.).

Sarah L. Heffter, 401 South Street, #2-B, Chardon, OH 44024 (Guardian ad litem for K.O.).

CYNTHIA WESTCOTT RICE, J.

{¶1} Appellant, Brittany Ponn, mother of minor children P.O. (dob 3/31/09) and

K.O. (5/14/10), appeals from the judgment of the Geauga County Court of Common

Pleas, Juvenile Division, terminating her parental rights. We affirm in part, reverse in

part, and remand the matter for further proceedings. {¶2} On August 29, 2013, the Geauga County Department of Job and Family

Services (“GCJFS”) was granted emergency temporary custody of P.O. and K.O. due to

concerns of parental drug use and unsanitary living conditions. The children were

subsequently adjudicated dependent and remained in the temporary custody of GCJFS.

A dispositional hearing was held on November 14, 2013, during which the trial court

adopted GCJFS’ case plan. The children remained in GCJFS’ temporary custody and,

on June 11, 2015, a permanent custody hearing was held. Appellant did not personally

appear at the hearing, but was represented by counsel. At the time of the hearing,

appellant had not appeared in the proceedings since November 2014 and had no

contact with the children since May 2014.

{¶3} Prior to opening statements, appellant’s counsel objected to the hearing

going forward. Counsel asserted appellant was not properly served with notice of the

permanent custody hearing and, as a result, the trial court lacked personal jurisdiction

over appellant. After reviewing the relevant law, the trial court denied the motion. From

the bench, the court stated:

{¶4} The court is satisfied that, first of all, Miss Ponn, we have jurisdiction over Miss Ponn from the initial filing in this case, and the fact that Miss Ponn appeared in this Court on 10/7/13, requesting an attorney who was appointed for her at the expense of the County. 11/14/13, she appeared before this Court. 2/24/14 she appeared before this Court. 5/15/14 she appeared before this Court. 6/2/14 she appeared before this Court. On 8/13/14 she appeared before this Court.

{¶5} She was, in this Court’s opinion, properly served, both through counsel, and in accordance with Rule and Statute, and that the Court looks at the case law that has been recited In RE: ALW case, can be readily distinguished based on the facts I have just mentioned.

2 {¶6} Interestingly enough, the Ninth District has actually distinguished its In RE: SS Opinion in a case called In RE: DG, 2012 opinion, two years later, where they pointed out that the Court’s vacation of the termination of parental rights was not based solely on a lack of compliance with 2159.29 and the manner that service was attempted on a mother.

{¶7} However, rather, this Court vacated the permanent custody judgment based upon the unique facts of that case, specifically, that in this case, it did not appear that she had counsel as well as other issues that would render it distinguishable from our case.

{¶8} Last but not least, the Court does not believe that a party, and there’s no question that Miss Ponn has been a party in this case, can and have counsel apparent, can avoid the process simply by avoiding the Court.

{¶9} And there’s no question that in this case, Miss Ponn has failed to appear. She has failed to cooperate with Jobs and Family Services, failed to communicate with the Guardian ad Litem, in violation of standing orders of this Court, and by the motion filed by counsel for Miss Ponn, has even failed to communicate with her own attorneys.

{¶10} To the extent that Miss Ponn does not have notice of these proceedings, the Court did not find that conclusion. But it would be because Miss Ponn has actively and willfully attempted to avoid the Court’s proceedings in these matters for several months. (Sic throughout)

{¶11} After opening statements, trial commenced. GCJFS first called Patrick

Minno to testify. Mr. Minno is a supervisor at Omega Laboratories and testified that

appellant tested positive for various drugs on four separate occasions during the

pendency of the case.

{¶12} Dr. Alan Shein, the Medical Director of Addiction Medicine Services with

Summa Health System In-Patient Hospitalization at St. Thomas and Akron City

Hospitals, testified that appellant was admitted to a drug detoxification unit at Summa

Health System, St. Thomas Hospital in Akron, Ohio on September 22, 2013. Appellant

3 was diagnosed with opiate dependency. Dr. Shein recommended appellant seek

follow-up treatment with a separate facility, Turning Point, but was unaware whether she

did so.

{¶13} Jennifer Marut, a Dual-Diagnosis Clinician with Ravenwood Mental Health

Clinic, testified appellant had an appointment with her on December 10, 2013 for a drug

and alcohol evaluation as well as a mental health evaluation, pursuant to appellant’s

case plan. The appointment, however, was cancelled for unknown reasons. Ms. Marut

tried contacting appellant at several different phone numbers to reschedule and also

drafted a letter for the same purpose. Appellant did not return any of Ms. Marut’s

attempted communications.

{¶14} Jodi Miller, the GCJFS social worker assigned to appellant’s case, testified

that after the children were placed into emergency temporary custody, appellant took

initial steps and voluntarily admitted herself to detoxification treatment at Summa. After

her detox treatment, Summa scheduled an appointment with Turning Point, a residential

drug treatment facility. Appellant did not attend the appointment and advised Ms. Miller

she felt residential treatment was unnecessary. Ms. Miller subsequently referred

appellant to Ravenwood for drug and alcohol as well as mental health assessments.

According to Ms. Miller, appellant failed to follow up with Ravenwood and the facility

closed her file in February 2014. Ms. Miller testified she last had contact with appellant

in July 2014 and she was unable to locate appellant after that date.

{¶15} With respect to appellant’s visitation, appellant consistently visited the

children between October 2013 and late December 2013; during this timeframe,

however, appellant was late for many visits. Although visitation was available and

4 GCJFS offered transportation, appellant failed to visit from December 24, 2013 through

March 2014. Appellant’s last visit occurred on May 23, 2014 and, since that date, she

has neither contacted GCJFS about the children’s status, nor requested the opportunity

to contact or visit the children.

{¶16} Ms. Miller testified appellant continued to illegally use drugs throughout

her involvement in the case; appellant made it difficult and ultimately impossible for Ms.

Miller or GCJFS to contact her. And, Ms.

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2015 Ohio 4774, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-po-ohioctapp-2015.