State Ex Rel. Sdc

2001 UT App 353, 36 P.3d 540, 2001 WL 1486219
CourtCourt of Appeals of Utah
DecidedNovember 23, 2001
Docket20000633-CA
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 2001 UT App 353 (State Ex Rel. Sdc) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Utah primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Ex Rel. Sdc, 2001 UT App 353, 36 P.3d 540, 2001 WL 1486219 (Utah Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

36 P.3d 540 (2001)
2001 UT App 353

STATE of Utah, in the interest of S.D.C., a person under eighteen years of age.
P.D.C., Appellant,
v.
D.J.C.R., Appellee.

No. 20000633-CA.

Court of Appeals of Utah.

November 23, 2001.

*541 Cindy Barton-Coombs, Roosevelt, for Appellant.

Martha Pierce, Salt Lake City, and Cleve J. Hatch, Vernal, Guardians Ad Litem.

Before Judges GREENWOOD, BILLINGS, and DAVIS.

OPINION

BILLINGS, Judge:

¶ 1 This is the second appeal by P.D.C. (Father) concerning the termination of his parental rights to S.D.C. (Child). In this appeal, Father argues the juvenile court erred in allowing the guardian ad litem (Guardian) to file a termination petition following our remand and the juvenile court's dismissal of a prior petition under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), 25 U.S.C.A. §§ 1901-1963 (West 2001). Father also argues the trial court erred in concluding that ICWA's active efforts requirement was met. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

¶ 2 D.J.C.R. (Mother) and Father divorced in 1989, and Mother was granted custody of Child and Child's brothers,[1] subject to reasonable visitation by Father. Father and the children are enrolled members of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.

¶ 3 In 1993, Mother and D.R.R. (Stepfather) petitioned to have the children adopted by Stepfather. Mother then filed a petition to terminate Father's parental rights. Following a trial on the termination petition, the juvenile court terminated Father's parental rights under Utah law and held that ICWA did not apply.

¶ 4 Father appealed the termination of his parental rights to this court. We affirmed the termination under Utah law, but held that ICWA applied. See In re D.A.C., 933 P.2d 993, 1003 (Utah Ct.App.1997). We held the parties had stipulated that ICWA's active efforts requirement had been met, eliminating this issue from consideration. See id. at 1002. However, we remanded to the juvenile court for a determination of whether the evidence presented at trial established beyond a reasonable doubt that Father's visitation would likely cause the children serious emotional or physical damage, as required to terminate Father's parental rights under *542 ICWA. See id. at 1003. On remand, in December 1997, the juvenile court ruled the evidence was insufficient to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that continued visitation by Father was likely to result in serious emotional or physical damage to the children, and accordingly dismissed the termination petition.

¶ 5 In October of 1999, two years after the dismissal of Mother's termination petition, Father filed an order to show cause to enforce his visitation rights in district court. Mother responded by filing for a protective order against Father, which was granted by the district court. On November 5, 1999, Guardian, who had been appointed to represent Child during the first termination proceeding, filed a motion to intervene in the visitation enforcement proceeding. That same day, Guardian filed a petition to terminate Father's parental rights in juvenile court.

¶ 6 On December 14, 1999, the district court granted Guardian's motion to intervene in the visitation enforcement proceeding and certified the matter to the juvenile court to be heard with the termination petition. The Eastern Shoshone Tribe was notified of the second termination petition, but declined to intervene.

¶ 7 At trial on the second termination petition, the juvenile court required Guardian to show a change in circumstances since the first termination proceeding that warranted termination of Father's parental rights under ICWA. Following the trial, the juvenile court concluded the evidence was sufficient to warrant termination of Father's parental rights under ICWA. In sum, the juvenile court found that at the time of the first termination proceeding, there was some prospect that Child's feelings towards Father would "mellow." However, at the time of the second termination proceeding, Child was more intimidated by Father, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and adamantly desired that Father's parental rights be terminated. The court also found that such intimidation was warranted given Father's "frightening" courtroom demeanor and history of violent behavior. The court further found that Father had failed to rehabilitate despite his lengthy time in prison and was still incarcerated after violating parole. The court concluded that Child would likely suffer serious emotional or physical damage if she were required to visit Father and therefore terminated Father's parental rights. Father appeals.

ISSUES AND STANDARDS OF REVIEW

¶ 8 First, Father argues the juvenile court erred in concluding that Guardian had authority to file the termination petition. We review questions of statutory interpretation for correctness. See In re M.C., 940 P.2d 1229, 1233 (Utah Ct.App.1997). Second, Father argues res judicata barred the second termination petition. "The application of res judicata is a question of law, reviewed for correctness with no deference given to the [juvenile] court." In re H.J., 1999 UT App 238, ¶ 15, 986 P.2d 115. Finally, Father argues ICWA's active efforts requirement was not met in either termination proceeding. As to the first termination proceeding, we will not overrule another panel unless a decision "is clearly erroneous or conditions have changed so as to render the prior decision inapplicable." State v. Menzies, 889 P.2d 393, 399 n. 3 (Utah 1994) (quotations and citation omitted). As to the second termination proceeding, when a party fails to challenge and marshal the evidence underlying ultimate findings, we assume the juvenile court's judgment was correct. See Butler, Crockett & Walsh Dev. Corp. v. Pinecrest Pipeline Operating Co., 909 P.2d 225, 236 (Utah 1995).[2]

ANALYSIS

I. Guardian's Authority to File Termination Petition

¶ 9 Father argues the juvenile court erred in concluding Guardian had the authority to *543 file the petition to terminate his parental rights. Guardian responds that as an appointed guardian ad litem, he had authority as an interested party to file the second termination petition.

¶ 10 We agree with Guardian. As an appointed representative of Child, Guardian was an interested party with authority to file the second termination petition under Utah Code Ann. § 78-3a-404(1)(a) (Supp.2001). This section provides that "[a]ny interested party ... may file a petition for termination of the parent-child relationship." Id.

¶ 11 Furthermore, Utah Code Ann. § 78-3a-912(1) (1996 & Supp.2001) allows a juvenile court to appoint a guardian ad litem to "represent the best interest of a minor involved in any case before the court." Once appointed, the statute requires the guardian to perform the broad task of "represent[ing] the best interest of the minor in all proceedings." Id. § 78-3a-912(3)(a).

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Bluebook (online)
2001 UT App 353, 36 P.3d 540, 2001 WL 1486219, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-sdc-utahctapp-2001.