[Cite as In re J.H., 2018-Ohio-4026.]

Court of Appeals of Ohio

EIGHTH APPELLATE DISTRICT 

COUNTY OF CUYAHOGA

JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION 

No. 106658

IN RE: J.H., ET AL. 

A Minor Child

[Appeal By Mother] 

JUDGMENT:

DISMISSED

Civil Appeal from the 

Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas 

Juvenile Division 

Case Nos. AD 12920956 and AD 12920957 

BEFORE: Jones, J., Kilbane, P.J., and Celebrezze, J. 

RELEASED AND JOURNALIZED: October 4, 2018 
[Cite as In re J.H., 2018-Ohio-4026.]

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT

Judith M. Kowalski 

333 Babbitt Road, Suite 323 

Euclid, Ohio 44123 

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEES 

For CCDCFS 

Michael C. O’Malley 

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor 

Cheryl Rice 

Assistant County Prosecutor 

3955 Euclid Avenue 

Cleveland, Ohio 44115 

For C.W., Father 

C.W., pro se 

16025 Lakeshore Blvd., #204 

Cleveland, Ohio 44110 

For A.H. 

A.H., pro se

3672 East 118th Street 

Cleveland, Ohio 44105 

For K.M. 

K.M., pro se 

1274 East 133rd Street 

Cleveland, Ohio 44112 

For S.W. 
iii

S.W., pro se 

3600 Northfield Road, #208 

Highland Hills, Ohio 44122 

Guardian ad litem for A.L.H., Mother 

Gregory T. Stralka 

6509 Brecksville Road 

P.O. Box 31776 

Independence, Ohio 44131

Guardian ad litem for Children 

Maureen T. Nagel 

2707 Jaycox Road 

Avon, Ohio 44011 

LARRY A. JONES, SR., J.: 
{¶1} This appeal arises from decisions rendered by the juvenile court on 

Mother-appellant, A.L.H.’s motion to modify custody and visitation. For the reasons 

that follow, we reluctantly dismiss this appeal. 

I. Procedural History

{¶2} Two children are the subject of this case: K.M., date of birth March 25, 

2003, and J.H., date of birth August 27, 2012. The case began in 2012 upon the filing of 

complaints by the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services. 

{¶3} At all times relevant to this appeal, the children were not living with Mother 

or their alleged Fathers, who are not parties to this appeal. The children had been living 

separate and apart from one another; since 2014, K.M. was in the care and custody of an 

uncle, and since 2013, J.H. was in the care and custody of an aunt. 

{¶4} In May 2015, Mother, pro se, filed a motion to “modify custody and visitation 

and set visitation.” She requested that the children be placed in her custody or, 

alternatively, that she be granted additional visitation with them. 

{¶5} A guardian ad litem (“GAL”) was appointed for the children. Mother 

requested an in-camera hearing for K.M., which was held on December 2, 2016. On 

December 22, 2016, Mother requested an attorney; she had a GAL who had been 

representing her for the prior proceedings in this case. 

{¶6} In February 2017, Mother’s GAL filed a motion to withdraw, stating that she 

was “no longer on the GAL or assigned counsel list and [was] no longer eligible to serve 
as appointed counsel or GAL in Juvenile Court.” The GAL requested that Mother be 

appointed a new GAL “as soon as possible.” 

{¶7} A pretrial hearing was held a few days after the GAL filed her motion. At 

the hearing, the juvenile court granted the GAL’s motion. The juvenile court appointed 

a new GAL for mother, and denied her request for counsel. The new GAL appeared 

with Mother for two pretrials, but not for the hearing on her motion, as he had been 

“dismissed” by the court at the June 2017 pretrial hearing. The hearing on Mother’s 

motion to modify and set visitation occurred before a magistrate in October 2017. 

{¶8} The magistrate issued her decisions in November 2017. The first one, 

issued on November 16, 2017, related to J.H. The magistrate denied Mother’s requests 

to modify custody and for visitation. The magistrate further decided that it was in the 

best interest of J.H. if his custodian retained sole legal custody of him and Mother have 

no visitation with him. Additionally, the magistrate decided that Mother was not entitled 

to access any records relating to J.H. and any record keeper who knowingly failed to 

comply with the order would be in contempt of court. 

{¶9} The second decision of the magistrate related to K.M. and was issued on 

November 27, 2017. The magistrate decided that the evidence was insufficient to 

warrant a change in custody and that no modification was necessary. Therefore, 

Mother’s motion was denied. The magistrate further decided that Mother “should not 

have access to records related to the child under the same terms and conditions as 

provided for the residential parent.” The magistrate ordered visitation for Mother on 
Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., and made arrangements for transportation to 

and from the visits. 

{¶10} Mother filed objections to the magistrate’s decision regarding J.H. on 

November 30, 2017, and on December 11, 2017, relative to K.M. In entries dated 

December 1, 2017, and December 12, 2017, the juvenile court affirmed, approved, and 

adopted the magistrate’s decisions relating to J.H. and K.M., respectively. 

{¶11} This appeal ensued. 

II. Assignments of Error

I. The decision of the trial court was against the manifest weight of the 

evidence. 

II. The trial court abused its discretion in finding that limited visitation for 

the Mother was in the best interest of the children. 

III. The trial court abused its discretion in granting Mother such restrictive 

visitation that it amounts to a denial of visitation. 

IV. The trial court erred to the prejudice of the appellant and violated her 

due process rights by removing her guardian ad litem during the pendency 

of these proceedings. 

III. Law and Analysis 

{¶12} We, unfortunately, are unable to review any of Mother’s assignments of 

error because we do not have a final, appealable order. 

{¶13} Juv.R. 40(D)(3)(b)(1) provides in part that “[a] party may file written 

objections to a magistrate’s decision within fourteen days of the filing of the decision, 
whether or not the court has adopted the decision during that fourteen-day period * * *.” 

If a party files timely objections to a magistrate’s decision, the court “shall rule on those 

objections. In ruling on objections, the court shall undertake an independent review as 

to the objected matters to ascertain that the magistrate has properly determined the factual 

issues and appropriately applied the law.” Juv.R. 40(D)(4)(d). 

{¶14} Mother timely filed her objections in this case; they were filed on the 14th 

day after the magistrate issued her respective decisions. The juvenile court, however, 

never made any mention or rendered any ruling on the objections. Thus, we do not have 

a final, appealable order. 

Under Juv.R. 40(D)(4)(d), a trial court “shall rule” on any timely filed 

objections to a magistrate’s decision. Where a trial court fails to rule on 

timely objections, there is no final, appealable order. In re B.W., 8th Dist. 

Cuyahoga Nos. 96550 and 96551, 2011-Ohio-4513, ¶ 8, citing Peric v. 

Buccilli, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 80805, 2002-Ohio-6234, ¶ 8. As stated 

by one court, “[w]hen a trial court enters judgment on a magistrate’s 

decision, but fails to explicitly rule on a party’s objections, that judgment 

does not constitute a final, appealable order because it does not fully 

determine the action.” In re Strickler, 9th Dist. Lorain No. 09CA009692, 

2010-Ohio-2277, ¶ 5. 

In re D.C., 8th Dist. Cuyahoga Nos. 102614 and 102631, 2015-Ohio-3038, ¶ 15. 

{¶15} Mother’s involvement with the juvenile court relative to K.M. and J.H. dates 

back to 2012. She filed the motion that was the subject of this attempted appeal in May 

2015, and the juvenile court rendered its decision in December 2017. To say that these 

proceedings have lingered far too long is an understatement. But, because of the 

circumstances as they are, we must dismiss this appeal. 

{¶16} Appeal dismissed. 
It is ordered that appellee recover from appellant costs herein taxed. 

A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of 

the Rules of Appellate Procedure. 

 

 

LARRY A. JONES, SR., JUDGE 

MARY EILEEN KILBANE, P.J., and 

FRANK D. CELEBREZZE, JR., J., CONCUR