Title: In Re Devin W.

State: nebraska

Issuer: Nebraska Supreme Court

Document:

707 N.W.2d 758 (2005) 270 Neb. 640 In re Interest of DEVIN W. et al., children under 18 years of age. State of Nebraska, appellee and cross-appellee, v. Lerry M., appellant, and Jillian M., appellee and cross-appellant. No. S-04-250. Supreme Court of Nebraska. December 2, 2005. *759 Dennis R. Keefe, Lancaster County Public Defender, and Reggie L. Ryder, for appellant. Gary E. Lacey, Lancaster County Attorney, Jodi L. Nelson, Kara E. Mickle, Daniel Packard, and Julie Agena, Senior Certified Law Student, for appellee State of Nebraska. Lisa F. Lozano, Lincoln, for appellee Jillian M. HENDRY, C.J., WRIGHT, CONNOLLY, GERRARD, STEPHAN, McCORMACK, and MILLER-LERMAN, JJ. *760 MILLER-LERMAN, J. Jesse M. is the minor son of appellant, Lerry M., and appellee and cross-appellant, Jillian M. The State filed a supplemental petition in a pending juvenile court proceeding alleging that Jesse lacked proper parental care by reason of the fault or habits of Jillian. The separate juvenile court of Lancaster County determined the allegations of the petition to be true and found Jesse to be a child as defined under Neb.Rev.Stat. § 43-247(3)(a) (Cum.Supp. 2002). At the time the juvenile court adjudicated Jesse, he resided with Lerry and Jillian. During a subsequent review hearing, the juvenile court found that it would be in the best interests of Jesse to be removed from the physical custody of his parents and placed in out-of-home foster care. Lerry filed an appeal from the juvenile court's order removing Jesse, and Jillian filed a cross-appeal. In a published opinion, the Nebraska Court of Appeals concluded that the juvenile court was without subject matter jurisdiction to adjudicate Jesse or to conduct any subsequent proceedings regarding Jesse because there were no allegations in the petition that Jesse lacked proper parental care by reason of the conduct of Lerry, a custodial parent. In re Interest of Devin W. et al., 13 Neb.App. 392, 693 N.W.2d 901 (2005). The Court of Appeals reversed the juvenile court's orders and remanded the cause with directions to dismiss the proceeding. Id. The State petitioned for further review. We granted the petition for further review. Because the juvenile court acquired subject matter jurisdiction upon adjudicating Jesse as a child under § 43-427(3)(a), the conclusion of the Court of Appeals to the effect that the juvenile court lacked subject matter jurisdiction as to matters involving the father, Lerry, was in error. We reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals and remand the cause to the Court of Appeals for further proceedings. Lerry and Jillian are the natural parents of Jesse, born May 25, 2001. The present juvenile action arose initially out of proceedings involving Jesse's older full brother, Brien M., born June 4, 1998, and Jesse's older half brother, Devin W., born November 4, 1996. James W., Devin's natural father, did not reside in Nebraska, and his parental rights with respect to Devin were eventually terminated. The facts relevant to the instant appeal were described in the Court of Appeals' opinion as follows: In re Interest of Devin W. et al., 13 Neb. App. 392, 393-400, 693 N.W.2d 901, 903-07 (2005). Lerry appealed to the Court of Appeals, assigning as error the juvenile court's order removing Jesse. In addition to challenging the juvenile court's order removing Jesse from Lerry and Jillian's home, Lerry assigned as error the juvenile court's receipt of certain exhibits into evidence. Jillian filed a cross-appeal and assigned as error the juvenile court's order removing Jesse. The Court of Appeals did not reach the assigned errors involving evidentiary rulings or the propriety of removal because it concluded that the juvenile court lacked jurisdiction. In its opinion, the Court of Appeals stated that it "must first address the issue of subject matter jurisdiction in this case as it relates to Lerry, a custodial parent against whom no allegations or accusations have been adjudicated in relation to Jesse." Id. at 400, 693 N.W.2d at 907. In this regard, the Court of Appeals noted that the "risk of harm to [Jesse alleged in the supplemental petition] is posed by [Jillian] and there have been no direct allegations of a lack of proper parental care by [Lerry]." Id. at 403, 693 N.W.2d at 909. The Court of Appeals relied upon its earlier decision in In re Interest of Kelly D., 3 Neb.App. 251, 526 N.W.2d 439 (1994), and determined that due to "the lack of an adjudication as to [Lerry]," the juvenile court lacked subject matter jurisdiction for the adjudication of Jesse on July 23, 2001. In re Interest of Devin W. et al., 13 Neb. App. at 403, 693 N.W.2d at 909. In its opinion, the Court of Appeals reasoned that in order for the juvenile court to properly assert jurisdiction, "`the petition must allege facts which would show that the child lacks proper parental care by reason of the inadequacy of any parent whose custody or right to custody might be affected, so that both parents may understand that the litigation concerns their respective rights.'" (Emphasis omitted.) *765 Id. at 402-03, 693 N.W.2d at 908-09 (quoting In re Interest of Kelly D., supra). The Court of Appeals concluded that "[b]ecause of the omission of any allegations showing that Jesse lacked proper parental care by reason of the inadequacy of Lerry, a parent whose custody of Jesse or right to such custody might be affected, the supplemental petition was inadequate to form the basis of the juvenile court's jurisdiction." In re Interest of Devin W. et al., 13 Neb. App. at 403-04, 693 N.W.2d at 909. The Court of Appeals reversed the orders of the juvenile court pertaining to Jesse and remanded the cause with directions to dismiss the proceeding. The State petitioned for further review from the Court of Appeals' decision. We granted the State's petition for further review. The State asserts, restated, that the Court of Appeals erred in determining that the juvenile court was without jurisdiction for the adjudication of Jesse. [1-3] A jurisdictional question that does not involve a factual dispute is a matter of law. In re Application of Metropolitan Util. Dist., ante 270 Neb. p. 494, 704 N.W.2d 237 (2005). Statutory interpretation is a question of law. Farber v. Lok-N-Logs, Inc., ante 270 Neb. p. 356, 701 N.W.2d 368 (2005). To the extent an appeal calls for statutory interpretation or presents questions of law, an appellate court must reach an independent conclusion irrespective of the determination made by the court below. In re Application of Metropolitan Util. Dist., supra. [4] In its petition for further review, the State claims that the Court of Appeals erred when it concluded that the juvenile court was without jurisdiction for the adjudication of Jesse. We agree with the State. We conclude that the juvenile court acquired subject matter jurisdiction over Jesse upon his adjudication as a child described in § 43-247(3)(a); that such jurisdiction extended to Jesse's custodial parent, Lerry, pursuant to § 43-247(5); and that, therefore, the Court of Appeals erred as a matter of law when it concluded that the juvenile court lacked jurisdiction. We reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals and remand the cause to the Court of Appeals for further proceedings. [5, 6] Subject matter jurisdiction deals with the court's ability to hear a case. Anderson v. Wells Fargo Fin. Acceptance, 269 Neb. 595, 694 N.W.2d 625 (2005). We recently stated: "Subject matter jurisdiction is the power of a tribunal to hear and determine a case of the general class or category to which the proceedings in question belong and to deal with the general subject matter involved." State v. Thomas, 268 Neb. 570, 584, 685 N.W.2d 69, 82 (2004). The subject matter jurisdiction of the juvenile court relative to this case is set forth in § 43-247, which provides, inter alia, as follows: We have specifically noted that § 43-247(3)(a) "gives a juvenile court exclusive, original jurisdiction over `[a]ny juvenile. . . who lacks proper parental care by reason of the fault or habits of his or her parent.'" In re Interest of Sabrina K., 262 Neb. 871, 875, 635 N.W.2d 727, 731 (2001). Such jurisdiction continues "until the individual reaches the age of majority or the court otherwise discharges the individual from its jurisdiction." § 43-247. Further, we have repeatedly noted that to obtain jurisdiction over a juvenile, the court's only concern is whether the condition in which the juvenile presently finds himself or herself fits within the asserted subsection of § 43-247. In re Interest of Brian B. et al., 268 Neb. 870, 689 N.W.2d 184 (2004); In re Interest of Kantril P. & Chenelle P., 257 Neb. 450, 598 N.W.2d 729 (1999). [7] With regard to juvenile court adjudication proceedings under § 43-247, we have stated that subject matter jurisdiction is vested in the juvenile court by an adjudication that a child is a juvenile described in § 43-247. In re Interest of J.T.B. and H.J.T., 245 Neb. 624, 514 N.W.2d 635 (1994). More importantly for the present case that is before us by virtue of the opinion of the Court of Appeals assailing the shortcomings of the supplemental petition relative to Lerry, we have noted that "it is the adjudication that a child is a juvenile, as characterized in § 43-247, which vests subject matter jurisdiction in a juvenile court, not the petition by which an adjudication is requested." See In re Interest of L.D. et al., 224 Neb. 249, 259-60, 398 N.W.2d 91, 98 (1986). [8] In considering the Nebraska Juvenile Code, we have stated that "[s]ubsection 5 of § 43-247 extends the juvenile court's jurisdiction to parents, guardians, or custodians who have custody of any juvenile described in [§ 43-247]." In re Interest of J.T.B. and H.J.T., 245 Neb. at 630, 514 N.W.2d at 639. Thus, we have observed that "when a juvenile court adjudicates a minor under § 43-247(3), it also obtains exclusive jurisdiction over the `parent. . . who has custody of any juvenile described in this section.'" In re Interest of Sabrina K., 262 Neb. at 875, 635 N.W.2d at 732 (quoting § 43-247(5)). Stated another way, "an adjudication under the Nebraska Juvenile Code brings all the parties [identified in § 43-247(3) and (5)] under the juvenile court's exclusive jurisdiction." 262 Neb. at 877, 635 N.W.2d at 733. We give a plain meaning to the Nebraska Juvenile Code provisions found at § 43-247(3)(a) and (5). See, e.g., Caspers Constr. Co. v. Nebraska State Patrol, ante 270 Neb. p. 205, 700 N.W.2d 587 (2005). To summarize, pursuant to the plain meaning of the controlling statutes, subject matter jurisdiction is vested in the juvenile court by an adjudication that a child is a juvenile described in § 43-247(3)(a), and pursuant to subsection (5) of § 43-247, the *767 juvenile court's jurisdiction is extended to parents who have custody of any juvenile who has been found to be a child described in § 43-247. Thus, in the instant case, the juvenile court acquired jurisdiction over Jesse and his custodial father, Lerry, when it found conditions that fit § 43-247(3)(a) and adjudicated Jesse as a juvenile within the meaning of § 43-247(3)(a). See In re Interest of Sabrina K., supra. In In re Interest of Devin W. et al., 13 Neb.App. 392, 402-03, 693 N.W.2d 901, 908-09 (2005), the Court of Appeals stated that with regard to a petition seeking to adjudicate a child under § 43-247, "`the petition must allege facts which would show that the child lacks proper parental care by reason of the inadequacy of any parent whose custody or right to custody might be affected, so that both parents may understand that the litigation concerns their respective rights.'" (Emphasis omitted.) (Quoting In re Interest of Kelly D., 3 Neb.App. 251, 526 N.W.2d 439 (1994).) This reasoning misapprehends the juvenile court's jurisdiction and the purpose of the adjudication procedure, which we explained in In re Interest of Amber G. et al., 250 Neb. 973, 554 N.W.2d 142 (1996). In In re Interest of Amber G. et al., the father claimed that the juvenile court lacked jurisdiction because the petitions under which his four children were adjudicated alleged generally that the children were at risk due to the fault and habits of their mother, and there were no allegations in the petitions that the father abused or neglected his children. We disagreed, stating "[t]his is clearly an erroneous interpretation of the jurisdiction of the juvenile court and the two-step process involved in juvenile proceedings." Id. at 980, 554 N.W.2d at 148. We explained the "two-step process," stating: In re Interest of Amber G. et al., 250 Neb. at 980, 554 N.W.2d at 148. In In re Interest of Amber G. et al., we noted that the mother had admitted the allegations of the petitions at the separate adjudications involving the children. We concluded that because the juvenile court obtained jurisdiction over the children at the adjudication stage, the father's argument that the juvenile court lacked jurisdiction because the petitions lacked specific allegations as to him was without merit. See, similarly, In re Interest of Sabrina K., 262 Neb. 871, 635 N.W.2d 727 (2001) (concluding that biological father's claim that juvenile court lacked sufficient basis for adjudication because petition contained no allegations that he was unfit or unable to exercise appropriate parental care was without merit and further concluding that because allegations in petition had been admitted by child's custodial guardians, juvenile court properly acquired jurisdiction). [9] The juvenile court's order from which Lerry appealed refers to Lerry as *768 an "unadjudicated parent." Moreover, the Court of Appeals discusses "the lack of an adjudication as to" Lerry. In re Interest of Devin W. et al., 13 Neb.App. at 403, 693 N.W.2d at 909. We disapprove of this language, which does not accurately reflect the purpose or substance of an adjudication proceeding. As stated above, pursuant to § 43-247, a child, not the parent, is adjudicated in order to protect the child's rights. The rights of a parent are determined in the dispositional phase of the case. See In re Interest of Brian B. et al., 268 Neb. 870, 878, 689 N.W.2d 184, 191 (2004) (stating "purpose of the adjudication phase of a juvenile proceeding is to protect the interests of the child. The parents' rights are determined at the dispositional phase, not the adjudication phase"). In In re Interest of Devin W. et al., 13 Neb.App. at 403, 693 N.W.2d at 909, the Court of Appeals stated that Lerry was entitled to "an adjudication hearing to defend against any such allegations [of harm]." As explained above, we do not believe such statement accurately reflects the purpose of an adjudication hearing. Further, for the sake of completeness, we note that the juvenile court's adjudication order reflects that Lerry was present and represented by counsel during the adjudication hearing. We also note that no appeal was filed from the court's adjudication order, and thus it became a final order. See In re Interest of L.D. et al., 224 Neb. 249, 398 N.W.2d 91 (1986). We conclude that the Court of Appeals erred as a matter of law when it concluded that the juvenile court was without jurisdiction for the adjudication of Jesse on July 23, 2001, and all subsequent proceedings. To the contrary, the juvenile court became vested with subject matter jurisdiction over Jesse when it found at the adjudication hearing that Jesse was a child within the meaning of § 43-247(3)(a), and the juvenile court's jurisdiction extended to the custodial parent, Lerry, pursuant to § 43-247(5). To the extent that In re Interest of Kelly D., 3 Neb.App. 251, 526 N.W.2d 439 (1994), or other opinions refer to adjudicated parents or reach conclusions at odds with our reasoning, they are disapproved. [10] In view of the foregoing, we reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals. We recognize that upon granting further review that results in the reversal of a decision of the Court of Appeals, this court may consider, as it deems appropriate, some or all of the assignments of error the Court of Appeals did not reach. In re Interest of DeWayne G. & Devon G., 263 Neb. 43, 638 N.W.2d 510 (2002). Due to its conclusion regarding jurisdiction, the Court of Appeals did not reach Lerry's discrete assignments of error or the assignment of error raised in Jillian's cross-appeal, and we conclude that under these circumstances, it is appropriate for the Court of Appeals to consider Lerry's and Jillian's separate assignments of error in the first instance. Thus, we do not reach their assignments of error. We conclude that because Jesse was adjudicated to be a juvenile within the meaning of § 43-247(3)(a), the juvenile court became vested with subject matter jurisdiction and jurisdiction extended to the custodial parent, Lerry, pursuant to § 43-247(5). We reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals that had concluded there was a lack of jurisdiction and remand the cause to the Court of Appeals for further proceedings. REVERSED AND REMANDED FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS.