Portage County DH&HS v. S. Z.

CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedNovember 17, 2022
Docket2022AP001352, 2022AP001353, 2022AP001354, 2022AP001355
StatusUnpublished

This text of Portage County DH&HS v. S. Z. (Portage County DH&HS v. S. Z.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Portage County DH&HS v. S. Z., (Wis. Ct. App. 2022).

Opinion

COURT OF APPEALS DECISION NOTICE DATED AND FILED This opinion is subject to further editing. If published, the official version will appear in the bound volume of the Official Reports. November 17, 2022 A party may file with the Supreme Court a Sheila T. Reiff petition to review an adverse decision by the Clerk of Court of Appeals Court of Appeals. See WIS. STAT. § 808.10 and RULE 809.62.

Appeal Nos. 2022AP1352 Cir. Ct. Nos. 2021TP5 2021TP6 2022AP1353 2021TP7 2022AP1354 2021TP8 2022AP1355

STATE OF WISCONSIN IN COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT IV

NO. 2022AP1352

IN THE INTEREST OF R.Z., A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 18:

PORTAGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,

PETITIONER-RESPONDENT,

V.

S. Z.,

RESPONDENT-APPELLANT,

C. Z.,

RESPONDENT. Nos. 2022AP1352 2022AP1353 2022AP1354 2022AP1355

NO. 2022AP1353

RESPONDENT.

NO. 2022AP1354

IN THE INTEREST OF C.Z., JR., A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 18:

2 Nos. 2022AP1352 2022AP1353 2022AP1354 2022AP1355

NO. 2022AP1355

IN THE INTEREST OF J.Z., A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 18:

APPEALS from orders of the circuit court for Portage County: THOMAS T. FLUGAUR, Judge. Affirmed.

¶1 BLANCHARD, P.J.1 S.Z. appeals the circuit court’s orders terminating her parental rights to the four children named in the caption on the petition of the Portage County Department of Health and Human Services (the County). S.Z. challenges the circuit court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the County finding S.Z. unfit as a parent under WIS. STAT. § 48.415(4), i.e., on

1 These appeals are decided by one judge pursuant to WIS. STAT. § 752.31(2)(e) (2019- 20). All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2019-20 version unless otherwise noted.

These appeals were consolidated for briefing and disposition by an August 12, 2022 order pursuant to WIS. STAT. RULE 809.10(3).

3 Nos. 2022AP1352 2022AP1353 2022AP1354 2022AP1355

the ground that more than one year had passed since a circuit court order denied visitation to S.Z. for each of the children, without the order being modified to permit visitation. S.Z. specifically contends that she submitted an affidavit to the circuit court that raised a genuine issue of material fact as to whether § 48.415(4) is unconstitutional as applied to her. S.Z. also argues that the circuit court erroneously exercised its discretion during the dispositional phase in terminating her parental rights. I reject S.Z.’s arguments and affirm.2

BACKGROUND

¶2 In July 2021, the County petitioned for the termination of S.Z.’s parental rights to the children and also petitioned for termination of the parental rights of the children’s father, C.Z. As to each child, for each parent, the County alleged the existence of two grounds for the termination of parental rights: that there was a continuing need of protection or services under WIS. STAT. § 48.415(2) and that there was a continuing denial of visitation under § 48.415(4).3

2 This court recently issued a separate opinion resolving the consolidated appeals regarding the parental rights of the father of the same children, C.Z., affirming the termination of C.Z.’s parental rights as to each child, contained in the same orders of the circuit court that S.Z. now appeals. See Portage Cnty. DH&HS v. C.Z., 2022AP1249-1252, unpublished slip op. (Nov. 3, 2022). 3 The sole ground for termination of parental rights that is pertinent to this appeal, WIS. STAT. § 48.415(4), provides:

(4) CONTINUING DENIAL OF PERIODS OF PHYSICAL PLACEMENT OR VISITATION. Continuing denial of periods of physical placement or visitation, which shall be established by proving all of the following:

(continued)

4 Nos. 2022AP1352 2022AP1353 2022AP1354 2022AP1355

The latter ground was based on circuit court orders entered as part of child in need of protective services (CHIPS) proceedings for each child, held in 2019 and 2020.

¶3 Also in July 2021, the County filed a motion for summary judgment on the ground that the County had established that S.Z. was unfit under the denial of visitation ground in WIS. STAT. § 48.415(4). As described in discussion below, S.Z. and C.Z. filed affidavits in response to the County’s motion. The circuit court granted the motion for summary judgment. Based on this ruling, the consolidated cases proceeded to the dispositional phase.

¶4 The circuit court held a dispositional hearing in April 2022. Testifying witnesses included S.Z. and a social worker who was assigned to the children during the CHIPS proceedings. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court terminated S.Z.’s parental rights as to each child. S.Z. appeals.

DISCUSSION

¶5 After providing pertinent standards of review, I explain why I reach the merits of S.Z.’s argument that the circuit court erred in granting summary

(a) That the parent has been denied periods of physical placement by court order in an action affecting the family or has been denied visitation under an order under[, pertinent here, WIS. STAT. § 48.363] containing the notice required by [WIS. STAT. §] 48.356(2) ….

(b) That at least one year has elapsed since the order denying periods of physical placement or visitation was issued and the court has not subsequently modified its order so as to permit periods of physical placement or visitation.

See also § 48.363 (“Revision of dispositional orders”).

5 Nos. 2022AP1352 2022AP1353 2022AP1354 2022AP1355

judgment regarding her parental fitness—despite the failure of either S.Z. or C.Z. to raise the issue in the circuit court. Then I address the merits of both issues raised by S.Z. in this appeal.

¶6 Involuntary termination of parental rights cases follow a “two-part statutory procedure.” Steven V. v. Kelley H., 2004 WI 47, ¶24, 271 Wis. 2d 1, 678 N.W.2d 856. Pertinent here, “[i]n the first, or ‘grounds’ phase of the proceeding, the petitioner must prove by clear and convincing evidence that one or more of the statutorily enumerated grounds for termination of parental rights exist.” Id.; WIS. STAT. § 48.31(1). Our supreme court has held that in some circumstances the grounds phase can be disposed of through summary judgment, under the standards established in WIS. STAT. § 802.08. Steven V., 271 Wis. 2d 1, ¶¶4-5, 37-39. I review the grant of summary judgment de novo. See Oneida Cnty. Dep’t of Social Servs. v. Nicole W., 2007 WI 30, ¶8, 299 Wis. 2d 637, 728 N.W.2d 652. “Summary judgment is appropriate when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Id. (citing § 802.08(2)).

¶7 On the merits, S.Z. challenges the constitutionality of a statute, which is an issue of law. See State v. McGuire, 2010 WI 91, ¶25, 328 Wis. 2d 289, 786 N.W.2d 227.

¶8 In the second, “dispositional phase, the court is called upon to decide whether it is in the best interest of the child that the parent’s rights be permanently extinguished.” Steven V., 271 Wis. 2d 1, ¶27 (citing WIS. STAT. § 48.426(2)). I review the circuit court’s disposition of a termination of parental rights case for an erroneous exercise of discretion. See Gerald O. v. Cindy R., 203 Wis. 2d 148,

6 Nos. 2022AP1352 2022AP1353 2022AP1354 2022AP1355

152, 551 N.W.2d 855 (Ct. App. 1996). “The [circuit] court properly exercises its discretion when it examines the relevant facts, applies a proper standard of law and, using a demonstrated rational process, reaches a conclusion that a reasonable judge could reach.” Id.

I. Potential Forfeiture

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Bluebook (online)
Portage County DH&HS v. S. Z., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/portage-county-dhhs-v-s-z-wisctapp-2022.