STATE EX REL. JUV DEPT, CLACKAMAS CTY. v. Gonzalez

533 P.2d 1382, 21 Or. App. 103, 1975 Ore. App. LEXIS 1342
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedApril 14, 1975
DocketCase 7824; Case 7825
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 533 P.2d 1382 (STATE EX REL. JUV DEPT, CLACKAMAS CTY. v. Gonzalez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
STATE EX REL. JUV DEPT, CLACKAMAS CTY. v. Gonzalez, 533 P.2d 1382, 21 Or. App. 103, 1975 Ore. App. LEXIS 1342 (Or. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

FOLEY, J.

These are appeals by Mrs. Delores Hansen Gonzalez from orders committing her two children, Bobbie Jean and David Rey, to the Children’s Services Division of the state of Oregon (hereafter CSD) and terminating Mrs. Gonzalez’ parental rights. The eases have been consolidated for purposes of appeal.

The Gonzalez children were not represented by legal counsel in the termination proceeding. Mrs. Gonzalez first asserts that the trial court should have appointed legal counsel to represent the interests of her two children. The orders terminating her parental rights were entered on July 24, 1974, and Mrs. Gonzalez filed her notices of appeal on August 21, 1974. In State ex rel Juv. Dept. v. Wade, 19 Or App 314, 19 Or App 835, 527 P2d 753, 528 P2d 1382 (1974), Sup Ct review denied (1975), decided on October 28, 1974, we held “that independent counsel must represent the children in all termination proceedings.” 19 Or App 323. We therefore are faced with the issue of whether Wade should be retroactively applied, and, if so, the extent of that application.

*105 The Oregon Supreme Court has recently reviewed its decisions on retroactivity, and has drawn two conclusions therefrom:

“* * * First, we are free to choose the degree of retroactivity or prospectivity which we believe appropriate to the particular rule under consideration, so long as we give federal constitutional rights at least as broad a scope as the United States Supreme Court requires. Secondly, we have tended to restrict the retroactive application of newly-announced rights, giving them only the application which the Supreme Court has adopted as a minimum. * * *” State v. Fair, 263 Or 383, 387-88, 502 P2d 1150 (1972).

The Fair decision contains a useful discussion of Oregon cases following various retroactivity rules. In Fair the Oregon Supreme Court noted that it has “closely followed the retroactivity rules adopted by the United States Supreme Court.” 263 Or at 385.

Generally, the United States Supreme Court’s criteria for determining the retroactivity- of its new rules are as follows:

1. The purpose to be served by the new rule.

2. The’ extent of the reliance which has been placed upon the old rule.

3. The effeet on the administration of justice of the retroactive application of the new rule.

See, e.g., Halliday v. United States, 394 US 831, 89 S Ct 1498, 23 L Ed 2d 16 (1969); Desist v. United States, 394 US 244, 89 S Ct 1030, 89 S Ct 1048, 22 L Ed 2d 248 (1969); DeStefano v. Woods, 392 US 631, 88 S Ct 2093, 20 L Ed 2d 1308 (1968). See also, Annotation, 22 L Ed 2d 821 (1970).

The purpose to be served by the rule that independent counsel must represent the children in all termination proceedings was discussed at length *106 in State ex rel Juv. Dept. v. Wade, supra. The Wade opinion was based upon the concept of the right to counsel and stated that there was a need for separate legal representation for children in termination proceedings because neither the state nor the parents necessarily represented the best interests of the children — and the best interests of the children continue to be our main concern in such proceedings. In Wade we noted that it is possible that “children involved in these proceedings have interests which are unique to them, that is, shared with neither the state nor their parents * * 19 Or App at 321. We therefore found “that in all termination proceedings there are potential conflicts between the interests of the children and those of both the state and the parents * * (Emphasis theirs.) 19 Or App at 323.

In short, our decision in Wade was predicated upon a concern that the welfare of children may require, in certain circumstances, separate representation in termination proceedings, and, since such circumstances may not be known or may not exist in advance of the proceedings, the children should be represented by counsel in all proceedings.

In considering the possible retroactive application of this new rule, perhaps the most important consideration is its effect on prior termination proceedings. The granting of retroactivity to Wade would place in serious question all completed adoptions and every adoptive placement of children where parental rights had been terminated under OES 419.523. The possible impact of such action, i.e., inviting the opening and reconsideration of all cases of any parent whose parental rights have been terminated in the past, is startling and unacceptable.

In summary, under previous procedures the interests of the children were supposed to be repre *107 sented by counsel for the parents and the state. The requirements of Wade do not create a completely new concept; rather, Wade seeks to enhance the representation of the interests of the children where it has already existed. Additionally, parties to proceedings which were final prior to Wade had every reason to believe they were relying on proper procedures. Finally, we think much more harm, and in many cases, serious detriment, would result for the children were we to allow the reopening of proceedings which are now final. For these reasons we decline to give the Wade decision retroactive effect.

We turn now to the question of termination of the parental rights of Mrs. Gronzalez. The grounds for termination are related in OES 419.523.

*108 David B.ey Gonzalez is now four years old, and Bobbie Jean Gonzalez is nearly three years old. The children are healthy, average youngsters. Mrs. Gonzalez is separated from Mr. Gonzalez, who has voluntarily relinquished to the state of Oregon his parental rights. In August 1972, when Bobbie Jean was seven weeks old and David about one and one-half years old, Mrs. Gonzalez left the children at the Canby, Oregon, police station, explaining that she could not care for the children at that time because her marriage was breaking up, she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and she did not have the necessary finances. At the time Mrs. Gonzalez turned the children over to the authorities, dark spots were noticed on Bobbie Jean’s buttocks. A medical doctor who saw Bobbie Jean testified that he thought there was a “good likelihood” that the spots constituted a Mongolian spot (a spot present at birth which fades over time) as well as bruises, although there was no indication of the skin having been broken and there was not enough swelling to recognize the marks as bruises. The doctor described Bobbie Jean as “vigorous and healthy” at the time. The cause of the bruises, if *109 bruises were present, is uncertain and both Mr. and Mrs. Gonzalez have consistently, vigorously denied ever having caused the bruises.

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533 P.2d 1382, 21 Or. App. 103, 1975 Ore. App. LEXIS 1342, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-juv-dept-clackamas-cty-v-gonzalez-orctapp-1975.