1 ... S ee T EX . R. A PP . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH NO. 2 - 0 7 - 2 3 8 - CV I N T HE I NT E R E S TOFD. R . D. , A C HI L D

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### M E M ORANDU M OP I NI ON 1

----- ----- -- A ppel l antTam ar a F. appeal s t he t er m i nat i on ofherpar ent al r i ghtst o her daug ht er , D . R . D . I n a si ngl e poi nt , A ppel l antar gues t hathert r i al counsel w as i nef f ec t i ve f orf ai l i ng t o c o n te s t and de f end he rag ai ns tan y oft he as se rt i ons m a d e th e b a s i s o f th e s u i t to te rm i n a te h e r p a re n ta l ri g h ts . W e w i l l a ffir m . A ppel l ee Texas D epart m ent of Fam i l y and P r ot ect i ve S er vi ces ( “TD FPS ”) f ile d it s p e t it io n f o rt e r m in a t io n in s u it a f f e c t in g t h e p a r e n t -c h ild r e la t io n s h ip in O ct ober20 06 seeki ng t o t er m i nat e A ppel l ant ’ s p a r ent al r i ghtst o ni ne- and- a-2

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- y e a r - o l d D. R . D. T DF P S a l l e g e d t h a tt e r mi n a t i o n wa s i n D. R . D. ’ s best i nt er es tan d t hatA ppe l l antha d c om m i t t ed one or m or e of t he ac t s orom i ss i ons s e t fo rth i n fa m i l y c o d e s e c ti o n 1 6 1 .0 0 1 (1 )(A ), (B ), (C ), (D ), (E ), (I ), (K ), (L), (M ), (N ), (O ), (P ), a n d (Q ). S ee T EX . F AM . C ODE A NN . § 1 6 1 .0 0 1 (1 )(A ), (B ), (C ), (D ), (E ), (I ), (K ), (L), (M ), (N ), (O ), (P ), (Q ) (V e rn o n S u p p . 2 0 0 7 ). A tt r i al , A ppel l antt est i f i ed t hats he i s addi ct ed t o m et ham phetam i nes, t hatshe has been deal i ng and usi ng dr ugs f ort he l astf ouryear s, t hatshe uses m et ham phe t am i nesal m os t e v e ry da y, t hats he st ayshi gh f orl ong p er i odsof t i m e, t hatever ybod y she know s u s e s dr ugs, and t hatshe does notw or k. A ppe l l ant ’ s par ent al r i ght s t o he rda ught erI . J. F. w er e t er m i nat ed i n O kl aho m a i n 2005, a nd h e rp a r e nt a l r i gh t s t o he rs on D. M . L . w e r e t e r m i na t e d i n 2006. A ppe l l ant ’ s ot hers on, C . D . , w as oneye arol d w hen hech oke d on a s cr ew an d di ed athom e. Att he t i m e o ft r i a l , A p p el l antw asi n j ai l f orpos se ss i on of m et ham phe t am i nes , he rs e c o n d o rt hi r d pe ndi ng f el ony cha r ge i n Dent on C ount y. The j ury f ound by c l e a r and co nvi nci ng e vi den cet hatt er m i nat i on of A ppel l ant ’ s par ent al r i ghtst o D .R .D . w as i n D . R . D . ’ s besti nt er estand t hat A p p e lla n th a d k n o w in g lyp la c e d o rk n o w in g lya llo w e d D .R .D . t o r e m a in in cond i t i ons orsur r oun di ngs w hi ch endan ger ed D . R . D . ’ s physi cal orem ot io n al
w el l

- bei ng; ha d e nga ged i n c onduc t , orkn ow i ngl y pl ac ed D . R. D . w i t h pe r so ns2 ... The t r i al co urts i gne d a n i nt er l ocu t ory ord e r ter m i nat i ng t he par ent

c hi l d r e l a t i on s hi p be t w e e n D. R. D. a nd h e rf a t he r , J e r e m y D. , o n Ju ne18, 2007 . The or der bec am e f i nalw hen t he t r i al co urts i gne d t he or dert er m i nat i ng A ppel l ant ’ s par ent al r i ghts . 3 w ho eng aged i n cond uct , w hi ch endan ger ed D . R . D . ’ s physi cal orem ot i onal
w e l l -be i n g ; a n d h a d h a d h e r pa ren t- c h i l d rel a ti o n sh i p term i n a ted w i th res p e c t t o a n o t h e r c h i l d b a s e d o n a f in d in g t h a th e rc o n d u c tw a s in v io la t io n o ff a m ily cod e s ec t i on 161. 001 ( 1) ( D ) or( E) or a su bs t ant i al l y equ i val ent pr ovi si on oft he l aw ofan ot hers t at e. Thi s app ea l f ol l ow ed. 2 I n he rs ol e p oi nt , A ppe l l antar gue s t hathe rt r i al co uns el w asi nef f ec t i ve because he “f ai l ed t o contes tany assertio n s o f[ TD FPS ] orpr ovi de a l egal def ense by engag i ng i n a t r i al st r at egy w hi ch w as i m possi bl e. ” S he st at es t hat

“ [t]h e re c o rd i s c l e a r th a t th e ‘ s tra te g y ’ i n th i s c a s e w a s to c o n v i n c e th e j u ry t hat[ her ] br ot her , [ Bi l l y T. ( “Bi l l y”) ] , shoul d r ecei ve D . R . D . and car e f orheras a l e g a l g u a rd i a n i n O h i o .” A p p e l l a n t c o n te n d s , h o w e v e r, th a t h e r c o u n s e l ’s s t r a t e g yin a r g u in g t h a tD .R .D . s h o u ld b e p la c e d w it h B illyw a s le g a lly i m pos si bl e a nd e ss ent i al l y s oughtan una t t ai nab l e r es u l t b ec aus e Bi l l y di d not i n terv e n e i n the su i t a n d b e c a u se th e j u ry c h a rge d i d n o t pro v i d e for c u sto d yto Bi l l y. TD FPS r es pon d s th a t A ppe l l ant ’ s t r i al co uns el w asnoti nef f ec t i ve3 ... T D F P S i n i ti a l l yarg u e s th a t A p p e l l a n t f a i l e d to p res e rve for a p p e l l a te

r evi ew he rar gum entt hat her t r i al cou ns el w asi nef f ec t i ve bec aus e s he di d not sp ec i f i ca l l y i ncl udet hi s ar gum enti n a t i m el y fi l e d s ta tem entofpoi nt s ori n a s ta te m e n t c o m b i n e d w i th a m o ti o n fo r n e w tri a l . S ee T EX . F AM . C ODE A NN . § 263 . 405 ( i ) ( V er non Su p p . 2007 ) ( st at i ng t hatan ap pel l at e c ourtm ay not con si deran y i ss ue t hatw asnots pec i f i ca l l y pr es ent ed t o t he t r i al co u rti n a t im e ly f ile d s t a t e m e n t o f t h e p o in t s o n w h ic h t h e p a rt yin t e n d s t o a p p e a l o rin a s t at e m e ntco m bi ned w i t h a m ot i on f orne w t r i al ) . I n a r ec enten ba nc deci si on, t hi s courthel d t hat f am i l y code sect i on 2 63 . 40 5( i ) i s voi d as a v i o l a ti o n o f th e s e p a ra ti o n o f p o w e rs p ro v i s i o n o f th e T e x a s c o n s ti tu ti o n . S ee InreD .W. , N o . 0 2 -0 6 -0 0 1 9 1 -C V , 2 0 0 8 W L 4 6 7 3 2 8 , a t * 1 2 (T e x . A p p .— F o rt W ort h Fe b. 19, 2008 , no p et . h. ) ( en ban c) . W e a r e b ound t o f ol l ow ourow n pr ecedent, so w e w i l l consi der t he m er i t s ofA ppel l ant ’ s i nef f ect i ve assi st ance a rgu m e n t. 4 b e c a u s e h e c o n t e s t e d t h e b e s tin t e r e s tp r o n g o ft h e t e r m in a t io n -o f -p a r e n t a lr i ght s i nqui r y. 3W e a gr e e w i t h TDFP S. Th er e i s a r i ght t o ef f ect i ve assi st ance o f c o u n sel i n t er m i nat i on cases. I n reM. S. , 115 S . W . 3d 534, 544 ( Tex. 2003 ) . W e rev i ew i nef f ec t i ve assi st ance cl ai m s undert he Str i ckl and s ta n d a rd . Id. at 5 4 9 . T o est abl i sh i nef f ec t i ve as si st anc e o fco uns el , app el l antm us ts how by a p r epo nde r anc e o f t he evi den cet hathe rco uns el ’ s r epr es ent at i on f el l be l ow th e s t and ar d of pr eva i l i ng pr of es si ona l nor m s and t hat t her e i s a r ea so nab l e pr oba bi l i t y t hat , but fo r co u n se l ’s d e fi c i e n c y , th e res u l t o f t h e t r i a l w o u l d h a v e b e e n d i fferen t. Str i ckl and v. W ashi ngton , 4 6 6 U .S . 6 6 8 , 6 8 7 , 1 0 4 S . C t. 2 0 5 2 , 2 0 6 4(1 9 8 4 ); Sa l i n a s v. S tate , 1 6 3 S .W .3 d 7 3 4 , 7 4 0 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 5 ); Mal lettv.5

S tate , 6 5 S .W .3 d 5 9 , 6 2

– 6 3 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 1 ); T h o mp so nv. S tate , 9 S .W .3 d 8 0 8 , 8 1 2 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 1 9 9 9 ). I n e val uat i ng t he ef f ec t i ven es s of cou ns el unde r t he f i r st pr ong, w e l ook t o t he t ot al i t y oft he r epr esent at i o n and t he part i cul arci r cum st ances ofeach c a s e . Thomps on , 9 S . W . 3d at 81 3. Th e i ssue i s w het hercounsel ’ s ass i st ance w a s re a s o n a b l e u n d e r a l l th e c i rc u m s ta n c e s a n d p re v a i l i n g p ro fe s s i o n a l n o rm s a t th e ti m e o f th e a l l e g e d e rro r. See Str i ckl and, 466 U. S. a t688– 89, 104 S. C t . at2065 . Revi ew of cou ns el ’ s r epr es ent at i on i s hi ghl y de f er ent i al , an d t he r e v ie w in g c o u rtin d u lg e s a s t r o n g p r e s u m p t io n t h a t c o u n s e l’s c o n d u c t f e ll w it h in a w i d e ra n g e o f re a s o n a b l e re p re s e n ta ti o n . Sal i nas , 163 S. W . 3d a t7 4 0; Ma lle tt, 6 5 S . W . 3 d a t 6 3 . A r e v i e wi n g c o u rt wi l l r a r e l y b e i n a p o s i t i o n on d ir e c ta p p e a l t o f a ir lye v a lu a t e t h e m e r it s o fa n in e f f e c t iv e a s s is t a n c e c la im . Thomps on , 9 S. W . 3d at813– 14. “ I n t h e m a j o ri ty ofca se s, t he r ec or d on di r ec tap pea l i s unde vel ope d a nd ca nnot ade qua t el y r ef l ec t t he m ot i vesbe hi nd t r i al counsel ’ s act i ons. ” Sal i nas , 1 6 3 S . W . 3 d a t7 4 0 ( q u o t i ng Ma l le tt, 65 S .W .3 d a t 6 3 ). T h e se c o n d p ron g o f Str i ckl and re q u i re s a s h o w i n g th a t c o u n s e l ’se rro rs w er e so ser i ous t hatt hey dep r i ved t he def endan tofa fa ir tr ial , i . e. , a t r i al
w h o s e re s u l t i s re l i a b l e . S tri ckl a n d , 4 6 6 U .S . a t 6 8 7 , 1 0 4S . C t. a t 2 0 6 4 . In ot herw or ds , ap pel l antm us ts how t her e i s a r ea so nab l e pr oba bi l i t y t hat , butf or4 ... I n pr oceedi ngs t o t er m i nat e t he par ent - chi l d r el at i onshi p br oug htunder

se ct i on 161. 001 oft he f am i l y cod e, t he pet i t i one rm us tes t abl i sh onegr ound l i st ed und er subdi vi si on ( 1) oft he st at ut e and m us tal so pr ovet hatt er m i nat i on i si n th e b e s t i n te re s t o f th e c h i l d . T EX. F AM . C ODEA NN. § 1 6 1 .0 0 1 (1 ), (2 ); In re J. L. , 1 6 3 S .W .3 d 7 9 , 8 4(T e x . 2 0 0 5 ). 6 coun sel ’ s unp r of essi onal er r or s, t he r esul toft he pr oceedi ng w oul d have been d i ffe re n t. Id. a t694, 104 S. Ct . a t2068 . I n m anyca se s, w e a r e u nab l e t o de t er m i ne w het herco uns el ’ s ac t i ons w e r e g r o u n d e d in s o u n d t r ia l s t r a t e g y b e c a u s e t h e r e c o r d is s ile n ta s t o p o s s ib le t r i al st r at egi es. I n t hi s case, how ever , t he r ecor d uneq ui vocal l y dem onst r at es th a t c o u n s e l ’stri a l s tra te g y w a s to c o n v i n c e th e j u ry th a t i t w a s n o t i n D .R .D .’s bes ti nt er es tt o ha ve herpa r ent - chi l d r el a t i ons hi p w i t h Appel l antt er m i nat ed. C ouns el ’ s st r at egyt husen t ai l ed cha l l eng i ng a n e ss ent i al el em ent o ft he t er m i nat i on pr oce edi ng. 4 I n hi s openi ng st at em ent , counsel ar gued t hatA ppel l antw as i n j ai l , t hat A p p e lla n t d id n o t w a n t t o t a k e D .R .D . h o m e w it h h e r , a n d t h a titw o u ld b e in D . R . D .’ s b e s tin t e r e s tifs h e re m a in e d p a rto fA p p e lla n t ’s f a m ilyb u tliv e d in O h i o w i th A p p e l l a n t’ s b roth e r, B i l l y . C o u n se l arg u e d , “W e ’r e as k i n g y o u n o t t o t e r mi n a t e s o l el y on t he f a c tt h a tt h e r e a r e f a mi l yt h a ta r e h e r e f o r ” D. R . D. A p p e l l a n t t e sti fi e d th a t s h e d i d n o t be l i e v e i t w a s i n D .R .D .’ s b e st i n tere st to have herpar ent al r i ghtst er m i nat ed, t hatshe di d n o t w a n t t o r el i nqu i sh her7

p a re n ta l ri g h ts to D .R .D . b e c a u s e s h e w a n te d B i l l yto h a v e c u s to d yo f D .R .D ., a n d tha t sh e w o u l d g i v e cu sto d yo f D . R . D . t o B il lyi f t h e j u ry c h o se n o t t o t er m i nat e h erpa r ent al r i ght s bec aus e sh e w ant ed D . R. D . t o s t ay i n t he f am i l y. C ouns el que st i one d t he D i r ec to r o f P ubl i c Saf et y f orO akPoi ntw het herhe knew anyt hi ng abo utBi l l y; t he D i r ect ordid n o t. R ef er enci ng B i l l y, counsel q u e s t io n e d a lic e n s e d p r o f e s s io n a l c o u n s e lo rw h e t h e ritisim p o rt a n tf o ra c h ild t o have a “f am i l y conn ect i on w i t h a decent f am i l y”; t he coun sel oragr eed t hat i ti s i m port ant . Bi l l y t est i f i ed t hat he l i ves i n O hi o, t hathe m oved ther e t o get aw ay f r om hi s f am i l y and t he l i f est yl e t hat t hey w er e l i vi ng, t hathe w oul d l i ke to ra i s e D .R .D . i f th e j u ry d i d n o t te rm i n a te A p p e l l a n t’s p a re n ta l ri g h ts to h e r, and t hathew oul d be abl e t o ca r e f orD . R. D . i fA ppe l l antga ve hi m cu st ody of her . A ddi t i ona l l y, i n hi s cl os i ng ar gum ent , cou ns el st r es se d t hat Bi l l y i s t he one w h o re a lly c a r e s a b o u tD .R .D . a n d t h a t“ [t ]h e o n lyw a yt o g u a r a n t e e t h a tB illy h a s a s h o t o f b e i n g i n [D .R .D .’s] li fe i s n o t to te rm i n a te .” C onsi der i ng t he over w hel m i ng evi dence of A ppel l ant ’ s nar cot i cs- i nf used l i f est yl e and t hatherpar ent al r i ghtst o t w o ot herchi l dr en had previ ousl y been t er m i nat ed, counsel coul d have r easonabl y concl uded t hati tw oul d have been di si nge nuoust o c ont es tt he se ct i on 161. 001 ( 1) te rm i nat i on gr oundsal l ege d. M o r e o v e r , c o u n s e l’s z e a lo u s p e r f o r m a n c e w a s n o tre n d e r e d in e f f e c t iv e s o le ly bec aus e Bi l l y di d noti nt erven e i n t he ca se ; t he j ury w as st i l l r equ i r ed t o f i nd by8

c l e a r an d co n v i n c i n g ev i d e n c e tha t t e r m in a ti o n w a s i n D .R .D .’ s b e st i n tere st. S ee T EX . F AM . C ODE A NN . § 1 6 1 .0 0 1 (2 ). C ouns el en gag ed i n a s ound t r i al st r at egy t hr ougho utt r i al by con t es t i ng T D F P S ’s as se rt i o n tha t i t w o u ld b e i n D .R .D .’ s b e st i n tere st to term i n a te A ppe l l ant ’ s p a re n tal r i ght s t o D. R. D . Thus , A ppe l l antha s f ai l ed t o r ebu tt he st ro n g pr es um pt i on t hatco uns el ’ s con duc tf el l w i t hi n a w i de r ang e o f r easonabl e r epr esent at i on. C onsequ ent l y , A p p e ll anthas f ai l ed t o m eether b u rde n u n d e r t h e fi rst Str i ckl and p ro n g . S e e Sal

i nas , 163 S . W . 3d a t740; Ma l le tt, 65 S. W . 3d at63. W e o ver r ul e A p p e l l ant ’ s so l e p oi ntan d a f f i r m t he tr i a l co u rt ’s j u d g m e n t.

P E R CU R I AM PA N EL F: HO LM A N , J. ; CA YC E, C. J. ; an d M C C O Y, J. C A YC E, C. J. co ncu r s w i t houtopi ni on. DEL I VERE D: Apr i l 3, 2008