State ex rel. Hilbert v. Probate Court

184 N.W. 27, 150 Minn. 16, 1921 Minn. LEXIS 714
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedJuly 22, 1921
DocketNo. 22,322
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 184 N.W. 27 (State ex rel. Hilbert v. Probate Court) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Hilbert v. Probate Court, 184 N.W. 27, 150 Minn. 16, 1921 Minn. LEXIS 714 (Mich. 1921).

Opinion

Holt, J.

Pursuant to chapter 397, p. 561, Laws 1917, George and Catherine Dodge, dependent children 12 and 13 years old, respectively, were placed under the guardianship of the state board of control by the probate court of Mahnomen county,' sitting as the juventhe court of that county. More than a year thereafter, the mother of the children petitioned that court to set aside the decree, on the ground that notice of hearing had not been served upon her so as to afford her an opportunity to be present thereat, and that her circumstances had so altered that she could now properly support and care for the children. The court ordered the children discharged from the guardianship of the board of control. The latter sought a review of'the order on certiorari from the district court. The writ was discharged and relator appeals.

“We shall not consider whether, upon the service made, the juventhe court had jurisdiction to deprive the mother of her children forever, for we have reached the conclusion that the appeal may be disposed of by an answer to this question: May the state board of control’s guardianship of dependent and neglected children be terminated by the juventhe court during their minority, there being no claim of improper treatment while under the board’s control?

Appellant contends that Armstrong v. Board of Control of State Public School, 88 Minn. 382, 93 N. W. 3, is decisive of the question. There, in construing the effect of a guardianship of children, commit[18]*18ted to the state school at Owatonna under chapter 210, p. 386, Laws 1897, it was said: “Whether one committed to the care and custody of the school should be released prior to arriving at its majority is a matter resting in the sound discretion of the school board,—a department of the executive branch of the government,—with the exercise of which the courts have no jurisdiction to interfere or intermeddle in .any way.” No other conclusion could have been reached under that statute which provided that when the court entered the order committing the child to the school the parents “shall thereafter have no rights over or to the * * * earnings of said child, except in such cases as said board may, as herein provided, restore the child to its parents.” (Section 6). The board of that school was made the legal guardian of all children committed to the school, “which guardianship shall be continued during the minority of such children, except in the oases in which, under this act, the guardianship may be canceled by resolution adopted by said board.” (Section 8). Exclusive right was given the board in all cases to release the child before majority, except where there had been -a legal adoption which worked a release. (Section 12). “Whenever any ward of said school, who is not indentured as herein provided, has become self-supporting, the said board may, at its discretion, so declare -the fact by resolution, and thereupon said guardianship Shall cease, and the child shall thereafter be entitled to its own earnings. Whenever one or both of the parents of any ward of said board, who is not indentured, have become able to support the child and educate it, the child may, by resolution adopted by said board, be restored to its parents.” (Section 10).

But, we think, a different policy was adopted with the advent of the juventhe courts. In chapter 285, p. 418, Laws 1905, such courts, in counties of over 50,000 inhabitants, were given exclusive jurisdiction of dependent, neglected and delinquent children. The state board of control had only supervisory duties over the institutions which-the court might appoint to guardianship of such children. (Section 11). That the court committing the child still retained jurisdiction to change or terminate the guardianship, is evident from the fact that, if an adoption proceeding was begun in another court than the court which appointed the guardian, 30 days’ notice must be given the latter court (section 8); no power of discharge was vested in the board of control; the board of [19]*19any institution appointed -guardian might parole and recommend a discharge, but the court must act thereon (section 9); and the court might at any time proceed to inquire into the ability of the parents to support the child and “enter such order or decree as shall be according to equity in the premises.” (Section 10).

A similar act, chapter 232, p. 269, Laws 1909, gave jurisdiction to probate courts, in counties of less than 50,000 inhabitants, over dependent, neglected and delinquent children. R. section 8 thereof any parent of a Child put under guardianship may, after the expiration of one year of such guardianship-, apply to the probate court which created the same to terminate it:” “And if it appears by clear and convincing evidence that the causes which produced or contributed to the dependency, neglect, or delinquency of such child no longer exist, the child, unless previously -adopted, shall be restored to its parents.” The authority of the state board of control was retained as visitorial merely -over guardians appointed. (Section 10). No change in these respects was made by the amendments of the act as found in chapter 260, p. 356, Laws 1913.

The laws relating to juventhe courts and their jurisdiction over dependent, neglected and delinquent children were codified- into chapter 397, p. 561, Laws 1917, embracing in one act both probate and district courts sitting as juventhe courts. This last act manifests' no- intention to make -any substantial change in -the then existing law. Insofar as this act gives the court authority to appoint the board of control -a guardian, the board occupies the same position as any institution or individual appointed. We fail -to find any intimation that to it, or to any guardian, is reserved the right to -determine when the guardianship shall end, except as it may be done by consenting to an adoption. R. express terms the court retains authority to discharge a delinquent child placed under guardianship. (Section 13). And a delinquent child may be committed by the court to “an association that will- receive it, embracing -in its objects the care of dependent or neglected children.” (Section 13). If such child be committed to the state training school, it may not be discharged within one year -after the commitment without the approval Of the -court. (Section 13). It therefore seems that the court loses control to no appointed guardian. And we think the whole scheme of the legislation with reference to dependent, neglected and delinquent children is to [20]*20commit them to the jurisdiction of the juventhe courts until they are legally adopted, and that the authority and power of such courts over their wiards are always supreme to that of the guardian to whose custody they have been committed by those courts. That such supreme authority is so vested is indicated by the fact that an adoption may not be had, even with the consent of the guardian, unless made by the court appointing the guardian, or upon 30 days’ notice to that court of the hearing, if the adoption proceeding is in any other court.

The relator also calls to its aid chapter 194, p. 279, Laws 1917, approved 10 days prior to the approval of chapter 397. This law imposes additional duties upon the board of control in looking after the welfare of defective, illegitimate, dependent, neglected and delinquent children. True, section 1 thereof provides: “The state board of control shall have -powers of legal guardianship over the persons of all children who may be committed by courts of competent jurisdiction to the care of the board, or to institutions under its management.

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Bluebook (online)
184 N.W. 27, 150 Minn. 16, 1921 Minn. LEXIS 714, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-hilbert-v-probate-court-minn-1921.