Title: In re A.R.P.

State: north-carolina

Issuer: North Carolina Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NORTH CAROLINA 
2021-NCSC-22 
No. 308A20 
Filed 19 March 2021 
IN THE MATTER OF: A.R.P. 
 
Appeal pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 7B-1001(a1)(1) from an order entered on 7 April 
2020 by Judge John K. Greenlee in District Court, Gaston County. This matter was 
calendared in the Supreme Court on 11 February 2021 but determined on the record 
and briefs without oral argument pursuant to Rule 30(f) of the North Carolina Rules 
of Appellate Procedure.  
 
No brief for petitioner-appellee mother. 
 
Sydney Batch for respondent-appellant father. 
 
 
NEWBY, Chief Justice. 
 
¶ 1 
 
Respondent-father appeals from the trial court’s order terminating his 
parental rights to A.R.P. (Ansley).1 Counsel for respondent-father has filed a no-merit 
brief under Rule 3.1(e) of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure. We 
conclude that the issues identified by counsel in respondent-father’s brief as arguably 
supporting the appeal are meritless and therefore affirm the trial court’s order. 
                                            
1 A pseudonym is used in this opinion to protect the juvenile’s identity and for ease of 
reading.  
IN RE A.R.P. 
2021-NCSC-22 
Opinion of the Court 
 
 
 
¶ 2 
 
This case arises from a private termination action filed by petitioner, Ansley’s 
biological mother, to terminate the parental rights of respondent. Petitioner and 
respondent were married in January 2004, separated in July 2016, and divorced in 
September 2018. Ansley was the sole child born from their marriage.  
¶ 3 
 
On 29 April 2019, petitioner filed a petition to terminate respondent’s parental 
rights pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 7B-1111(a)(7) (2019). Petitioner alleged that 
respondent had “not seen [Ansley] in over two years despite the fact that [Ansley] and 
Petitioner still live in the same home which [respondent] formerly occupied with 
them, and has paid no child support for [Ansley] in over that same period of time.” 
Respondent filed an answer denying the material allegations of the petition.  
¶ 4 
 
Following a hearing held on 12 December 2019, the trial court entered an order 
on 7 April 2020 in which it determined grounds existed to terminate respondent-
father’s parental rights for abandonment. N.C.G.S. § 7B-1111(a)(7). The trial court 
further concluded it was in Ansley’s best interests that respondent-father’s parental 
rights be terminated. Accordingly, the trial court terminated respondent-father’s 
parental rights. Respondent-father appeals.  
¶ 5 
 
Counsel for respondent-father has filed a no-merit brief on her client’s behalf 
under Rule 3.1(e) of the Rules of Appellate Procedure. Counsel identified two issues 
that could arguably support an appeal but also explained why she believed these 
issues lack merit. Counsel has advised respondent-father of his right to file pro se 
IN RE A.R.P. 
2021-NCSC-22 
Opinion of the Court 
 
 
 
written arguments on his own behalf and provided him with the documents necessary 
to do so. Respondent-father has not submitted written arguments to this Court. 
¶ 6 
 
We carefully and independently review issues identified by counsel in a 
no-merit brief filed under Rule 3.1(e) in light of the entire record. In re L.E.M., 372 
N.C. 396, 402, 831 S.E.2d 341, 345 (2019). After conducting this review, we are 
satisfied the trial court’s 7 April 2020 order is supported by clear, cogent, and 
convincing evidence and based on proper legal grounds. Accordingly, we affirm the 
trial court’s order terminating respondent-father’s parental rights. 
AFFIRMED.