Opinion ID: 1837556
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: facts

Text: Mercedes is the natural mother of Mainor and Estela, who are both U.S. citizens. In her brief, Mercedes states that she is a native Guatemalan. Mercedes claims she came to the United States in 1992 seeking asylum and moved to Grand Island in 2000, where she lived in a Guatemalan community and spoke a Mayan Indian dialect with fellow Guatemalans. Mercedes also states in her brief that she is illiterate and speaks no English and very little Spanish. The record indicates Mercedes does not understand English. On March 22, 2001, Mercedes was arrested for striking Mainor. On the same day, both children were taken into protective custody. On March 23, the State filed a juvenile petition in the Hall County Court, alleging that Mainor and Estela, ages 6 and 4 respectively, were minors within the ambit of Neb.Rev.Stat. § 43-247(3)(a) (Reissue 1998). The petition alleged the children were (1) homeless or destitute, or without proper support through no fault of their parents; (2) lacking proper parental care by reason of the fault or habits of their parents; and (3) in a situation that was dangerous to life and limb or injurious to their health or morals. An affidavit from Lisa Kluck, a Child Protective Service worker, was filed with the court on March 23, 2001. Kluck averred that she had reviewed police reports showing that on March 22, the school psychologist had contacted the Grand Island Police Department concerning red line markings on Mainor's face. In response to questioning from the police, Mainor stated that Mercedes had hit him, which he described as hit, hit, and hit, and that he had cried and then later watched television. Kluck averred that Mercedes had been arrested and had admitted to the police that she had hit Mainor for being rough with Estela, but had denied hitting him more than once. Kluck further averred that a similar incident had occurred on November 11, 2000, also resulting in markings on Mainor's face, which a police investigation determined were the result of his mother's striking him. Kluck averred that although Mercedes was not arrested in November 2000, the police did discuss the proper ways of discipline with her. Finally, Kluck averred that a second child, Estela, also lived with Mercedes and that both children had been removed at the time or prior to Mercedes' arrest. On March 23, 2001, an ex parte order signed by the clerk magistrate found that continuation of the children in the home would be contrary to their welfare, that reasonable efforts were made to prevent their removal, and that it was in the best interests of the children to be placed in the temporary custody of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The children were placed in foster care on March 22. The record indicates that after Mercedes was arrested and incarcerated for child abuse, the then Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) placed a hold on her through the Hall County jail because she was an illegal alien. In her brief, Mercedes states that because she had failed to appear at an asylum hearing several years earlier, a default order for her removal had been entered. Mercedes asserts she was aware of neither her status nor the deportation order because she had been granted temporary protected legal status and had continued to receive work permits each year. Mercedes was ultimately deported to Guatemala on May 15. The record further indicates that although the children had asked to see Mercedes during the period of time in which she was held in the Hall County jail, Mercedes had no visitation with them. On March 27, 2001, the court issued a juvenile summons ordering personal service on Mercedes in the Hall County jail, which service was perfected on March 28. The summons commanded Mercedes to appear in court for a hearing on April 9 regarding the allegations set forth in the juvenile petition. Both the summons and petition were written in English. The adjudication hearing was conducted on April 9, 2001. Mercedes was not present. The bill of exceptions pertaining to the adjudication hearing contains an introductory recitation by the court transcriber, stating that Todd Elsbernd appeared as counsel for Mercedes. The only evidence offered at the adjudication hearing was Kluck's affidavit, which had been filed with the court on March 23, 2001, in support of the ex parte order of the clerk magistrate removing the children from their home and placing them in the temporary custody of DHHS. Near the conclusion of the adjudication hearing, the court stated: Count one [homeless or destitute] is proven by the fact that the mother simply fails to appear and apparently no one's really too sure of her whereabouts at the current moment. And counts two [lacking proper parental care] and three [being placed in a situation dangerous to life and limb] are proven by the affidavit. At this juncture in the adjudication hearing, the record indicates that an unidentified person in the courtroom, in referring to Mercedes, informed the court, She's being held in jail. That's why sheshe isn't here.... Despite the juvenile summons signed by the judge presiding at the adjudication hearing, which summons directed that Mercedes be personally served in the Hall County jail, and the return showing that Mercedes was personally served as directed, the court responded that she's in custody somewhere and unable to provide a home for the children. The court then stated that reunification of the juveniles in their home would be contrary to their health, safety or welfare. Reasonable efforts were not required to be made to preserve and reunify the family because the juveniles were submitted to aggravated circumstances, an assault, and the parent committed a pr[o]scribed criminal act, being an assault. Temporary custody with DHHS was continued, and a disposition hearing was subsequently scheduled for June 20, 2001. The court's written adjudication order repeated the finding that [r]easonable efforts [are] not required to preserve and reunify the family because ... the parent has subjected [the] juvenile(s) to aggravated circumstances, to wit: assault and that the parent has committed [a] proscribed criminal act, to wit: assault. There is no evidentiary record of the June 20, 2001, disposition hearing other than a preprinted disposition/permanency hearing checklist signed by the presiding judge. The form contains a notation showing that Elsbernd appeared as counsel for Mercedes, as well as checkmarks noting that the disposition hearing was conducted and completed on June 20, 2001. Notwithstanding the court's April 9, 2001, written order stating that reasonable efforts to preserve and reunify the family were not required due to aggravating circumstances, the court's June 20 written order contains checkmarks which indicate that the permanency objective of reunification set forth in DHHS' case plan and progress report was in the children's best interests. The order directs the case plan to be implemented, despite the case manager's statement in the court report, apparently submitted with the case plan, that [r]easonable efforts are not necessary because on 04-09-2001 the court found reasonable efforts were not required. Although the case plan's stated permanency objective was reunification, DHHS' only stated goal was to locate appropriate long-term placement for the children by December 14, 2001, noting in the court report that Mercedes' brother in Alabama had requested that the children be placed with him. The only stated tasks were to conduct a home study on relatives interested in obtaining long-term placement and to find a fos-adopt home for the children if placement with relatives was inappropriate. There were no goals or tasks related to reunification, including attempts to establish contact with Mercedes. The absence of any hearing conducted on the record leaves this court to speculate as to the apparent inconsistency between the order of April 9, 2001, finding that reunification would be contrary to the children's welfare, and the June 20 order apparently adopting a permanency objective of reunification. The State Foster Care Review Board (FCRB) reviewed the case documents and submitted a recommendation to the court on September 18, 2001. See Neb.Rev. Stat. § 43-1308 (Reissue 1998) (requiring FCRB to review foster care cases every 6 months and submit its findings and recommendations to court with jurisdiction). FCRB found that the children were inappropriately removed from the home and that reasonable efforts were not made to prevent their removal, such as providing parenting classes, a family support worker, or therapy. FCRB concluded that a slap on the face was insufficient evidence to support a finding that Mainor was in imminent danger and that no evidence supported a finding that Estela was at risk. FCRB further concluded that these mistakes led to a domino effect, in which Mercedes had been deported and could not now reenter the United States without fear of a lengthy jail sentence. FCRB recommended that placement with Mercedes' brother in Alabama be explored immediately and that DHHS contact the INS to request a waiver or special visa for Mercedes to reenter the United States, based on the needs of her children. FCRB also recognized the deficiency in the case plan, concluding that the case plan was incomplete, as it failed to outline proposals for achieving reunification. The report further noted that [t]he children have no contact with their mother, yet their mother is writing to people in the States providing her address in Guatemala, and asking how her children are doing. Finally, the report stated that a review hearing was scheduled for December 20, 2001. There is no evidentiary record of the December 2001 review hearing. See Neb. Rev.Stat. § 43-1313 (Reissue 1998) (requiring review hearing of dispositional order to be conducted on record at least once every 6 months). The record does contain a preprinted review disposition/permanency hearing form, which references December 20, 2001. However, that same form also references January 31, 2002, and contains a file-stamped date of March 11, 2002. The record also contains a case plan dated December 17, 2001, and bearing a December 19, 2001, file stamp of the Hall County Court, as well as an exhibit sticker identifying it as Exhibit # 3, upon which is written 12-20-01. This plan continues to call for reunification, but includes adoption as the alternative plan. The only stated goal again was finding long-term placement for the children. Given the existence of exhibit 3, the review disposition/permanency hearing form, and the reference to a December hearing in the FCRB report, this court can only conclude that despite the statutory directive that review hearings shall be conducted on the record, no record of the hearing was made. See § 43-1313. As a result, this court is again left to speculate as to what evidence, if any, was offered and received at the December 2001 review hearing and the basis for the court's findings with respect to that proceeding. In March 2002, the court conducted a review hearing on the record. Again, this court is not entirely certain of the date in March, given that the preprinted review disposition/permanency hearing form includes a file-stamp date of March 11, 2002, yet the introductory recitation of the proceedings by the court transcriber indicates it occurred on March 8. In any event, at this hearing, an affidavit was offered by Elsbernd and received into evidence without objection. In that affidavit, an immigration attorney located in Omaha, Nebraska, averred that she had been retained by Mercedes to help her find a way to participate in the proceedings. Elsbernd also advised the court that another agency was attempting to help Mercedes return to the United States and that Mercedes was not simply ignoring the proceedings. Recognizing that 15 months in out-of-home placement was fast approaching, Elsbernd stated to the court that he was offering the affidavit so at least we'd have the argument that we don't need to abide by the 15 months. That there is aa reason. We've got a mother here who wants to fight for her children but because of the laws the way they are [she] cannot. See, Neb.Rev.Stat. § 43-292.02(3)(c) (Reissue 1998) (excusing State's requirement to file termination petition for enumerated exceptions, one of which is parents' lack of opportunity to avail themselves of services deemed necessary if reasonable efforts are required); Neb.Rev.Stat. § 43-292.03(1) (Reissue 1998) (requiring juvenile court to conduct exceptions hearing on record within 30 days of child's reaching 15 months in out-of-home placement). Finally, Elsbernd further advised the court that he had not spoken with Mercedes. The court then stated that reunification with Mercedes would be contrary to the children's health, safety, and welfare and that reasonable efforts were not made to reunite the family because reasonable efforts were not possible. Although the guardian ad litem indicated there were problems with placing the children with Mercedes' brother in Alabama, the court made no findings of fact regarding that potential placement. The court thereafter stated that it was advising Mercedes, through her attorney, that failure to accomplish reunification within 15 months of the preceding 22 months could be a ground for termination of her parental rights and that the State was required to request termination of those rights unless the court found a compelling reason to excuse the requirement. Once again, despite the court's April 9, 2001, oral statement and written order that reasonable efforts to reunify were not required, as well as the statement at the March 2002 review hearing that reasonable efforts were not possible, the court's written order ultimately determined that reunification, with a concurrent plan of adoption, was the most appropriate permanency objective, and it approved a new case plan to that effect. The case plan, however, continued to omit rehabilitative goals or tasks related to reunification or to contacting Mercedes, but stated that such goals would be added if Mercedes were able to return to the United States. The record next contains a court order dated June 3, 2002, adopting a case plan dated May 29, 2002. The order recites that a review hearing was held on June 3, but again, there is no transcription of the hearing in the bill of exceptions. In its written order, the court again found that reunification remained the primary permanency objective, with a concurrent goal of adoption. The target date in the case plan for this goal was June 22. Again, no rehabilitative goals were included in the case plan, based on DHHS' reasoning that Mercedes had been unable to return to the United States. Notwithstanding the court order that reunification remained the primary permanency objective, the court report, presumably offered at the June 3 review hearing, reiterates that DHHS' position is that reasonable efforts toward reunification were not required under the court's adjudication order of April 9, 2001. Again, the absence of any evidentiary record makes it difficult for this court to understand exactly what occurred at the June 3 hearing and to subsequently conduct a de novo review of the proceeding. On May 30, 2002, the State filed a motion to terminate Mercedes' parental rights to her children, alleging as its sole basis for termination of those rights that the children had been in out-of-home placement for 15 or more months of the most recent 22 months. A termination hearing on the record was conducted on June 27, 2002. Immediately prior to the time the hearing commenced, Elsbernd requested permission to withdraw as counsel for Mercedes, stating as his basis the absence of any contact with Mercedes since his appointment as her attorney. In sustaining Elsbernd's motion, the court stated that because Elsbernd did not know how his client wished to proceed, there was not any purpose in requiring you to try to slap together some sort of defense or explanation. Elsbernd was allowed to withdraw, and the hearing proceeded without Mercedes' presence or representation. The county attorney offered into evidence the notice of the termination hearing which had been published in the Grand Island newspaper and resubmitted the earlier case plans and court reports. Kluck's prior affidavit was also resubmitted. The case manager testified that the children had been in continuous custody since March 2001 and had never gone back to Mercedes' home. She testified that Mercedes had not contacted her children since their removal, had not provided financial support for them, and had not completed any parts of the case plan. The case manager stated that termination was in the children's best interests because, inter alia, Mercedes had not made an effort to contact DHHS to check on her children or to send them gifts. The court, recognizing that the 15-month requirement under § 43-292 was [b]arely satisfied as of the day of the hearing, appeared to express concern that this was the only allegation upon which the State sought termination of Mercedes' parental rights. The court then suggested that the evidence supported an additional finding of abandonment. The court, noting that the published notice contained no notice of what the motion to terminate specifically says, stated that it would include in its termination order a finding that the children had been abandoned. Presumably, the court reasoned that so long as Mercedes had no notice of any specific basis for termination of her parental rights, she would not be prejudiced by an additional finding not originally alleged by the State. The court then entered a handwritten order dated June 27, 2002, terminating Mercedes' parental rights to her children. New counsel for Mercedes filed an appeal from the June 27, 2002, order. The appeal, however, was dismissed by the Nebraska Court of Appeals on August 28 because the June 27 order was illegible to the point that the Court concludes that it is not a final judgment from which an appeal may be taken, but is only a finding which forms the basis for which judgment may be subsequently rendered. In re Interest of Mainer T. & Estella T., 11 Neb.App. ___ (No. A-02-886, Aug. 28, 2002). On September 17, 2002, the court entered a typewritten order based on its June 27 findings. The court's order found that Mercedes had failed to appear, that the State had proved by clear and convincing evidence that the children had been in out-of-home placement for the requisite period pursuant to § 43-292(7), and that the children had been abandoned pursuant to § 43-292(1). The order further found that it was in the best interests of the children to terminate Mercedes' parental rights and the parental rights of any person claiming paternity. Mercedes timely appealed from the September 17 order terminating her parental rights.