Opinion ID: 1658806
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: admission of certified court documents

Text: Shawn assigns as error, as a part of his due process argument, that the juvenile court erred in receiving into evidence certified court documents from the underlying juvenile action without foundation and without a transcript of the proceedings. Holly also raises the issue as error and asserts that exhibits 3 through 44 were not based on adjudicated facts and that, as such, the court should not have taken judicial notice of the exhibits. She argues that many of the exhibits are dispositional orders, which are entered following dispositional hearings, at which the rules of evidence do not apply. In addition, she argues that the hearings are conducted based on a preponderance of the evidence standard, which is a lower standard of proof than that used in termination hearings. As noted earlier, neither Holly nor Shawn appealed from the dispositional orders which found their children to be juveniles under § 43-247(3)(a). This court has held that a detention order issued under § 43-247(3)(a) and Neb.Rev.Stat. § 43-254 (Reissue 1998) after a hearing which continues to withhold the custody of a juvenile from the parent pending an adjudication hearing to determine whether the juvenile is neglected is a final order and thus appealable. In re Interest of Joshua M. et al., 251 Neb. 614, 558 N.W.2d 548 (1997). Shawn and Holly waived this error by failing to appeal from the previous orders. Holly's argument is also based on an assertion that the juvenile court could not take judicial notice of its earlier orders. We have held that the concept of judicial notice of disputed allegations has no place in hearings to terminate parental rights. (Emphasis supplied.) In re Interest of L.H. et al., 241 Neb. 232, 243, 487 N.W.2d 279, 287 (1992). However, Holly did not dispute the allegations in the underlying action. In fact, at the hearing on March 24, 1999, she admitted the allegations. In addition, we have held that reports may not be received in evidence for the purpose of a termination proceeding, nor relied upon by the court, unless they have been admitted without objection or brought within the provisions of Neb. Evid. R. 803(23), Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-803(23) (Cum.Supp.2002), an exception to the hearsay rule. See In re Interest of J.K.B. and C.R.B., 226 Neb. 701, 414 N.W.2d 266 (1987). While the parties objected to the admission of exhibits related to the underlying disposition, they did not object on the basis of judicial notice. The juvenile court was not asked to take judicial notice of the previous orders, but was asked to admit them into evidence. An appellate court will not consider an issue on appeal that was not presented to or passed upon by the trial court. Claypool v. Hibberd, 261 Neb. 818, 626 N.W.2d 539 (2001). Absent a showing to the contrary, it is presumed that the trial court disregarded all incompetent and irrelevant evidence. In re Interest of L.H. et al., supra . Even if the exhibits were not properly received, the improper admission of evidence by the juvenile court in a parental rights termination proceeding does not, in and of itself, constitute reversible error; a showing of prejudice must be made. Id. The parties must show that the inclusion of the exhibits in the evidence was prejudicial to their due process rights. Id. Factual questions concerning a judgment or order terminating parental rights are tried by an appellate court de novo on the record, and impermissible or improper evidence is not considered by the appellate court. Id. In an appeal from a judgment or order terminating parental rights, the appellate court, in a trial de novo on the record and disregarding impermissible or improper evidence, determines whether there is clear and convincing evidence to justify termination of parental rights under the Nebraska Juvenile Code. In re Interest of L.H. et al., supra . [A]s a subject for judicial notice, existence of court records and certain judicial action reflected in a court's record are, in accordance with Neb. Evid. R. 201(2)(b), facts which are capable of accurate and ready determination by resort to sources whose accuracy cannot be reasonably questioned. ... [I]n State v. Norwood, 203 Neb. 201, 204-05, 277 N.W.2d 709, 711 (1979)[, the court stated]: [A juvenile court] has a right to examine its own records and take judicial notice of its own proceedings and judgment in an interwoven and dependent controversy where the same matters have already been considered and determined. In re Interest of C.K., L.K., and G.K., 240 Neb. 700, 708-09, 484 N.W.2d 68, 73 (1992). In the case at bar, the juvenile court admitted into evidence its own records and case plans in an interwoven and dependent controversy. The assignment of error concerning the admission of court orders has no merit.