Case Name: Rohnda KIGHT v. ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Court: Arkansas Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Arkansas
Decision Date: 2006-03-08
Citations: 94 Ark. App. 400
Docket Number: CA 05-522
Parties: Rohnda KIGHT v. ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Judges: Glover, J., agrees.
Reporter: Arkansas Appellate Reports
Volume: 94
Pages: 400–411-H

Head Matter:
Rohnda KIGHT v. ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
CA 05-522
231 S.W.3d 103
Court of Appeals of Arkansas
Opinion delivered March 8, 2006
[Rehearing denied August 30, 2006. ]
Glen Hoggard, for appellant.
Gray Allen Turner, for appellee.
Jennifer Hill Kendrick, Attorney Ad Litem, for minor children.
PITTMAN, C.J., concurs. Bird and HartJJ., would grant rehearing.

Opinion:
Andree Layton Roaf, Judge.
Appellant Rolinda Kight appeals from the Faulkner County Circuit Court's order terminating her parental rights to her two minor children, A.W. and L.M. This is the second time this case has been before this court. In Kight v. Ark. Dep't of Human Servs., 87 Ark. App. 230, 189 S.W.3d 498 (2004) (Kight I), this court reversed and remanded this case and directed that reunification services be continued. Appellee Arkansas Department of Human Services (ADHS) filed another petition to terminate Kight's parental rights, which-the trial court granted. For reversal, Kight argues that the trial court erred in terminating her parental rights (1) by not following the mandate of this court from the prior appeal and (2) by violating her due-process rights. We affirm.
After reversal of the prior termination order, ADHS sought rehearing and also sought review by the supreme court. ADHS learned that the supreme court had denied review on September 24, 2004. At a review hearing on November 23, 2004, the trial court inquired into the status of the case. ADHS informed the court that the only order affected by this court's reversal was the order that terminated Right's parental rights and that all other prior orders remained in effect, including the order for no reunification services. At this hearing, ADHS also announced its intention to file a second petition to terminate Right's parental rights, and it did so the same day. The trial court stated that it would have a hearing on January 18, 2005, to determine whether there should be reunification services offered in this case. This hearing was subsequently continued until February 3, 2005. The February 3, 2005, hearing was thus for the purpose of deciding whether to terminate Right's parental rights. At this hearing, Right objected to the termination petition, arguing that reunification services had not been offered to her in compliance with this court's mandate.
Linda Wallace, a social worker assistant, testified at the hearing that the first meeting she had with Right since this case had been re-opened was at McDonald's, Right's place of employment at the time. Wallace drove Right home to take a drug test that came back negative. Right subsequently refused several drug tests, telling Wallace that her attorney had told her to refuse any drug tests administered by ADHS because of their unreliability. Wallace saw Raymond Morgan, a convicted drug dealer, at Right's home on two occasions in the early morning hours, although Wallace never saw any evidence that he was living with Right. Wallace, on at least one occasion, went to Right's home at 4:50 a.m. to administer a drug test. According to Wallace, that was a good way to "catch some people" at home. Wallace found out from a neighbor that Right had changed jobs and was working for Burger Ring. Wallace testified that sometimes she would have trouble getting in touch with Right. Wallace had contact with Right on at least nine different occasions between November 3, 2004, and January 26, 2005. She testified that some of these contacts were for drug tests and some of them were "just to see how [Right] was doing." Wallace found out through Right's neighbor and then from Right, that Right had found a job through a temporary agency working at the Peabody Hotel.
According to Wallace, there were no recent drug problems or problems with Right's environment. The only problem Wallace identified was that Kight had changed jobs frequently. She had had three different jobs and two residences over the past three months. Wallace testified that she thought Kight was trying and that she was doing a good job. She also stated that she had no complaints about Kight.
There was testimony at the hearing that A.W. and L.M. were thriving in the care of the foster parents. They had been in the same foster home for at least two years and five months.
Laura Rogers, a family services worker, testified that she was concerned about Right's association with Raymond Morgan. She stated that Kight had tested positive for THC at the time of the first review hearing in November 2004. Kight had refused all other drug tests ADHS had attempted to do since October 2004, explaining to Rogers that her former attorney had told her not to submit to any drug tests administered by ADHS because they resulted in false positives. Rogers stated that she could not "really tell [Kight] what reunification services [ADHS] could even offer since the goal of the case [was still adoption]." Rogers testified that, during her meetings with Kight, Kight never asked about the welfare of her children. Kight did not have a car, and Rogers drove her to one hearing, and Wallace drove her to another hearing. According to Rogers, the trial court did not allow visitation to Kight, and Kight and her attorney had not asked for any service except transportation. Rogers testified that, at the time of the hearing, A.W. had been in foster care for two years and five months and that L.M. had been in foster care for a little over two years. According to Rogers, offering additional services to Kight would not result in a successful reunification. As far as the services that were offered to her after her case was remanded, Rogers stated that those services began in mid-October with home visits and drug testing.
Kight testified about her employment history since July 2003. She worked at American Plastics until September 2003, when she had to resign because she lacked transportation. She then went to work for Jackson Cookie Company. When this company went out of business early in 2004, she began working for the Peabody Hotel, where she worked part-time from March 2003 in addition to working at McDonald's and Burger King. The Pea body had hired her for full-time employment, while she worked banquets for different employers and did housekeeping for other hotels on the weekends.
Kight testified about a short period of unemployment around October 2003 when she fell down some stairs and broke her ankle. However, after being confronted by ADHS with faxed hospital records, Kight admitted on cross-examination that she had not broken her ankle falling down stairs but that she had jumped off the top of a moving vehicle when she had tried to prevent a male guest from leaving her apartment.
In July 2003, Kight lived at Chance Sobriety. When she completed that program, she lived with her uncle, different friends, and with her mother. In November 2003, she lived in her own apartment, with an apartment mate. She began living in an apartment by herself in August 2004, where she stayed until she moved into a house in North Little Rock. She testified that she allowed Raymond Morgan to help her move some heavy furniture into the house because she could not move it by herself. According to Kight, she had seen Morgan approximately five times since July 2003 but had not been romantically involved with him since June 2003. She testified that she could not explain the one positive drug screen in November 2004 and that she had been clean and sober for two years. ADHS was successful in preventing Kight from introducing the negative results of a hair-follicle drug test she had had done at her own expense in January 2005 after the positive test occurred in November 2004.
After hearing the testimony, the trial court terminated Kight's parental rights, finding that it was in the children's best interests; that there was little likelihood that services to the family would result in successful reunification; that the children had been adjudicated dependent-neglected, had been out of the home for more than twelve months, and that despite a meaningful effort by ADHS to rehabilitate the mother and correct the conditions that caused removal, the mother had failed to remedy the conditions.
The standard of review in termination-of-parental rights cases is well-settled. In Johnson v. Arkansas Department of Human Services, 78 Ark. App. 112, 119, 82 S.W.3d 183, 187 (2002), the court held:
When the issue is one involving the termination of parental rights, there is a heavy burden placed upon the party to terminate the relationship. Termination of parental rights is an extreme remedy and in derogation of the natural rights of the parents. Parental rights, however, will not be enforced to the detriment or destruction of the health and well-being of the child. The facts warranting termination of parental rights must be proven by clear and convincing evidence, and in reviewing the trial court's evaluation of the evidence, we will not reverse unless the court's finding of clear and convincing evidence is clearly erroneous. Clear and convincing evidence is that degree of proof which will produce in the fact finder a firm conviction regarding the allegation sought to be established. In resolving the clearly erroneous questions, we must give due regard to the opportunity of the trial court to judge the credibility of witnesses. Additionally, we have noted that in matters involving the welfare of young children, we will give great weight to the trial judge's personal observations.
An order forever terminating parental rights must be based upon clear and convincing evidence that the termination is in the best interests of the child, taking into consideration the likelihood that the child will be adopted and the potential harm caused by continuing contact with the parent. In addition to determining the best interests of the child, the court must find clear and convincing evidence that the circumstances exist that, according to the statute, justify terminating parental rights. One such set of circumstances that may support the termination of parental rights is that the child has been adjudicated by the court to be dependent-neglected and has continued out of the home for twelve (12) months, and despite a meaningful effort by the department to rehabilitate the home and correct the conditions which caused removal, those conditions have not been remedied by the parent. It is not necessary that the twelve-month period out of home be consecutive. (Citations omitted.)
Arkansas Code Annotated section 9-27-341 (Supp. 2003) states:
(b)(1)(A) The circuit court may consider a petition to terminate parental rights if the court finds that there is an appropriate permanency placement plan for the juvenile.
(3) An order forever terminating parental rights shall be based upon a finding by clear and convincing evidence:
(A) That it is in the best interest of the juvenile, including consideration of the following factors:
(i) The likelihood that the juvenile will be adopted if the termination petition is granted; and
(ii) The potential harm, specifically addressing the effect on the health and safety of the child, caused by continuing contact with the parent, parents, or putative parent or parents, and
(B) Of one (1) or more of the following grounds:
(i)(a) That a juvenile has been adjudicated by the court to be dependent-neglected and has continued out of the custody of the parent for twelve (12) months and, despite a meaningful effort by the department to rehabilitate the parent and correct the conditions that caused removal, those conditions have not been remedied by the parent.
(vii) (a) That other factors or issues arose subsequent to the filing of the original petition for dependency-neglect that demonstrate that return of the juvenile to the custody of the parent is contrary to the juvenile's health, safety, or welfare and that, despite the offer of appropriate family services, the parent has manifested the incapacity or indifference to remedy the subsequent issues or factors or rehabilitate the parent's circumstances that prevent return of the juvenile to the custody of the parent.
For her first point on appeal, Kight argues that the trial court erred by not following this court's mandate to continue reunification services. A lower court is bound to follow the mandate of a superior court, and jurisdiction conferred on the trial court upon remand is bounded by the mandate and decision of the superior court. City of Dover v. A.G. Barton, 342 Ark. 521, 29 S.W.3d 698 (2000). When an appellate court remands a case with specific instructions, those instructions must be followed. Id. A lower court is bound to follow both the letter and spirit of the opinion and mandate. Id. The trial court should look beyond the words of reversal and look to the effect of the opinion in proceeding upon remand. Glover v. Woodhaven Homes, Inc., 346 Ark. 397, 57 S.W.3d 211 (2001) (quoting Kneeland v. Am. Loan & Trust Co., 138 U.S. 509 (1891)).
Kight asserts that the trial court did not follow the remand's specific instructions. This court stated in its opinion, "We reverse and remand this case with instructions to the trial court to continue reunification services." Kight I, supra. However, ADHS took the position that the no-reunification order was still in effect because this court only reversed the termination order. Kight argues that it is clear from the record that ADHS never intended to offer meaningful reunification services. We must agree with Kight. When the trial court inquired as to ADHS's plan for the case at the November 23, 2004 review hearing, ADHS stated that it anticipated filing another termination petition, and it did so the same day. This occurred only two months after our supreme court denied ADHS's petition for review and only six days after counsel had been appointed to Kight in the present case.
Moreover, the trial court specifically forbade visitation between Kight and her children and never conducted a separate hearing to determine whether reunification should have still been the goal of the case. Instead, it held a termination hearing on February 3, 2005. The court never required ADHS to continue reunification services, and, in fact, ordered that Kight not visit her children.
ADHS again contends on appeal that it did provide reunification services to Kight. This argument contradicts its assertions to the trial court at the November 2004 hearing. At the February 2005 termination hearing, however, ADHS took the position that reunification services had been offered from the time the case came back from the supreme court, which was September 24, 2004. ADHS characterized the home visits, drug test, ten attempted drug tests, and transportation to the two hearings as reunification services.
ADHS clearly did not continue reunification services, despite its argument to the contrary. This court found in Kight I, supra, that Kight was committed to remaining clean and sober and that she was not given a reasonable time to demonstrate that the children could safely be returned to her home.
Nevertheless, it must be noted that Kight does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence to terminate her parental rights or the finding that it was in her children's best interests to terminate her rights. She only argues that the trial court erred by not following this court's mandate and that the trial court's decision violated her due-process rights. The children in this case have now been out of the home since January 8, 2003, which means that they have been out of the home for approximately three years, and L.M. has been out of the home since she was born. Although the delay in this case is primarily attributable to ADHS and the trial court in erroneously terminating Right's rights in the first place, from the children's perspective, they clearly cannot now be returned to the home in a reasonable amount of time. See Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-341 (a)(3) (Supp. 2003). Moreover, it is significant that the problem that caused the removal of Right's children involved her drug usage both prior to and during the pendency of the earlier proceedings. Right had tested positive for cocaine and THC, and at the time she gave birth to L.M. in January 2003, both she and L.M. testified positive for cocaine. Subsequent to remand of this case, although she denied any drug use, Right tested positive for THC when tested at the time of her first review hearing after remand, and she refused all subsequent drug tests. The trial court additionally found Right not credible after she lied under oath about the circumstances of her ankle injury.
We remanded this case with the specific instruction to continue reunification services. It is very clear that ADHS did not follow the spirit or letter of this court's opinion or its mandate in offering what it now deems the "reunification services" of drug tests, two rides to hearings, and investigatory home visits. Right was employed full-time and had her own home that she had furnished at the time of the termination hearing, so it is unclear what additional services she would have been seeking, other than visitation with the children. However, we cannot say that, under the evidence presented at the termination hearing, it was reversible error to terminate Right's rights without ordering further services to her at that time, despite the outrageous and contemptuous conduct of ADHS in this case.
Right also argues that the trial court's decision violated the due-process rights provided by the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution by (1) denying her a meaningful opportunity to be heard on the issue of the mandate's requirement of continued reunification services and (2) requiring her to observe a standard of conduct during the pendency of her appeal that is without precedent or statutory authority. ADHS argues that this argument is not preserved, because Right failed to raise it at the trial level. Right's attorney, however, did ask the trial court to strike all testimony in the record regarding Right's behavior from July 15, 2003, the day her rights were first terminated, until November 23, 2004, the date of the first review hearing after remand, because Kight had no notice that she was to comply with any code of conduct during this period. Right's attorney argued that this violated her due-process rights. The trial court overruled Right's motion to strike the record.
Kight argues also that no meaningful hearing was provided to consider the issue of reunification services. In Mayberry v. Flowers, 347 Ark. 476, 65 S.W.3d 418 (2002), the supreme court held that due process requires, at a minimum, notice reasonably calculated to afford a natural parent the opportunity to be heard prior to parental rights being terminated. Here, Kight does not suggest that she did not have notice of the hearing; she only argues that she did not have an opportunity to be heard regarding the continuation of reunification services. At the termination hearing, however, Kight was given the opportunity to voice her objection to the fact that the trial court failed to order a continuation of reunification services and that those services were not provided to her. Moreover, Kight cites no convincing authority for her argument that she was denied due process because there was no separate hearing held specifically to address the fact that the trial court did not order the continuation of reunification services as mandated by this court.
Kight further asserts that the trial court applied a standard of conduct to her without giving her any notice of the standard. Right's parental rights were suspended from July 15, 2003, when the first termination order was entered, until this court reversed the termination order in June 2004. Kight argues that even though she possessed no parental rights during this time, the trial court gave much weight to her conduct during this period. It is important to note, however, that Kight was aware that her case was in the appeal process. There is no evidence that the trial court imposed a particular standard of conduct on Kight. Right's employment history and stability and her ability to maintain stable housing were proper factors for the trial court to consider in the termination hearing. Kight was given the opportunity to be heard at this hearing. We therefore cannot say that the trial court deprived Kight of her parental rights without due process.
In sum, these children have now been out of Right's care and custody and with a foster family for three years. L.M. has been with the foster family since she was released from the hospital after her birth. Neither child has seen Kight in over two years. The supreme court recently noted in Linker-Flores v. DHS, 364 Ark. 224, 217 S.W.3d 107 (2005), involving a case that had gone on for over four years:
Such a delay goes against the clear legislative intent of the termination-of-parental-rights statute, which specifically states:
The intent of this section is to provide permanency in a juvenile's life in all instances where the return of a juvenile to the family home is contrary to the juvenile's health, safety, or welfare and it appears from the evidence that a return to the family home cannot be accomplished in a reasonable period of time as viewed from the juvenile's perspective. Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-341 (a) (3).
Unfortunately, the delay in this case was in large measure caused by ADHS. Nevertheless, under the circumstances and evidence presented at the termination hearing, we cannot say the trial court erred in terminating Kight's parental rights based on either of the arguments she has raised in this appeal.
Affirmed.
Glover, J., agrees.
Pittman,C.J., concurs.