Opinion ID: 2179039
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: appeal of the guardian ad litem

Text: Darcy's guardian ad litem has appealed that portion of the juvenile court's decision which grants physical custody of Darcy to Della. This court has previously indicated that Chapter 27-20 requires two proceedings in a deprivation or termination proceeding. The first proceeding is to determine whether or not the child is deprived. If the juvenile court finds the child is deprived, a separate proceeding is conducted to determine the disposition of the child. In the first phase (referred to as the adjudicatory phase), the only question to determine is whether or not the child is deprived within the meaning of Section 27-20-02(5), N.D.C.C. The primary issue in that phase is whether or not there is clear and convincing evidence the child is deprived. If the child is found to be deprived, the second phase (referred to as the dispositional phase) is conducted and in such instance the issue is the best interests of the child. The division of the hearings may be significant because evidence concerning the suitability of one home for the placement of the child in comparison to another home is properly admissible only in the dispositional phase. See, e. g., In Interest of T. M. M., 267 N.W.2d 807 (N.D.1978). In the instant case there was no apparent division in the hearing between the adjudicatory phase and the dispositional phase. In fact, the determination that Darcy was a deprived child was not made until the hearing was closed and the memorandum opinion of the juvenile court and the findings of fact, conclusions of law, and order contained determinations as to both deprivation and disposition. Again, however, neither party has raised as an issue on appeal the question of whether or not there should have been separate proceedings. The guardian ad litem has raised as an issue the question of whether or not the juvenile court, after determining Darcy was deprived, erred in applying a continuation of deprivation standard in making its disposition instead of the best interest of the child standard. As we have already noted, the juvenile court granted legal custody of Darcy to the Kidder County Social Service Board for a period of two years with physical custody granted to Della. The basis for such disposition is contained in the following findings of the juvenile court: 11) [Della] has an eighth grade education and is apparently somewhat retarded, although not to the extent to suggest that she cannot care for her daughter. 12) Both [Della] and [Joseph] are presently married to other persons, but are living together and have declared their intention to get married as soon as their divorces can be obtained. [3] A somewhat clearer explanation of the juvenile court's reasoning is found in its memorandum opinion: There is nothing in the evidence to suggest that [Della] does not have the mental capacity to care for her child. During the course of the hearings one of [Joseph's] children was present. The child was remarkably well behaved, and the relationship between her and [Della] was a positive one. [Della] is living with [Joseph], who appears to be of above average intelligence. It is their intention to marry as soon as they are able to do so. [Joseph's] presence in the family unit is a factor to be considered with respect to the question of whether deprivation exists. . . . . . [Della] has been drifting from one man to another. The child is of tender years, so an actual adverse effect upon its moral and emotional health arising from this environment cannot be demonstrated. But this is not the test. The test is whether the child is without the care necessary for its emotional health and moral development. The child has lacked that care while in the custody of [Della]. I find, therefore, that [Darcy] is a deprived child. It is not possible to know whether this pattern of [Della's] life will continue. The evidence suggests the contrary may be true. [Della] has been living with [Joseph] for some time. They state it is their intention to marry as soon as possible and return to Washington. The past, however, is prologue, and the possibility of the pattern continuing is a real one. It would not be in the best interest of the child, therefore, to permit [Della] unrestricted rights of custody. [Della] will be given the physical custody of the child. Legal custody of the child will be granted to the Kidder County Social Services Board for a period of two years. If [Della] returns to Washington, legal custody will be transferred to an appropriate agency of that state in accordance with Sec. 27-20-30(1)(c), N.D. C.C. The agency having legal custody shall have the right to monitor the care being given the child and the conditions under which it is living. In the event it is made to appear to the Court that the conditions causing deprivation continue to exist or that circumstances are such as to cause deprivation, physical custody of the child will be ordered changed and an appropriate disposition made in the light of events then existing. [Emphasis supplied.] We are not convinced, as is the guardian ad litem, that the juvenile court was using a continuing deprivation test in the disposition phase of its decision. Rather, we believe the court was questioning whether or not the causes of deprivation would continue. The court, although noting that Della's past actions of drifting from one man to another may continue, expresses some thought that because Della had been living with Joseph for some time that might not be the case in the future. Despite the juvenile court's optimism concerning Della's future with Joseph, we cannot ascertain in its findings or memorandum opinion that the best interests of Darcy were considered. Perhaps this is because the combined hearing did not result in a clear separation of the two determinations to be made by the juvenile court, i. e., whether or not Darcy is a deprived child and, if she is a deprived child, what the disposition should be. In any event, we cannot conclude that the court should take a chance with Darcy's well-being on the possibility that Della will change her method of living. Lorraine Gross, a social worker with the Kidder County Social Service Board, did visit Joseph and Della's home. In her testimony to the court she indicated she believed Joseph and Della could meet Darcy's physical needs if she were placed with them and that they would do their best to care for her adequately. It may be that Joseph and Della will be able to establish a proper home for Darcy. At the present time, however, both Joseph and Della, although living together, are married to other persons. The testimony indicates that they would have secured divorces in the State of Washington if it were not for the proceedings involving Darcy, i. e., they did not have sufficient funds to return to Washington to secure those divorces, return to North Dakota, and again return to Washington where they intended to live. But even if Joseph and Della obtain divorces from their respective spouses and marry, there is no assurance of a stable home life. Joseph has been married four times before, and Della has been involved with a series of men. Because Della's past involvement with, and manipulation by, different men has resulted in Darcy's deprivation, we are not ready to accept as fact a statement that because Della is now living with Joseph and intends to marry him things will be different for Darcy. In view of past events, Joseph and Della's relationship should be legalized and their home established in order to convince us that Darcy's best interests would be served by placing her in Della's legal and physical custody. Furthermore, the juvenile court's order does not appear to consider the effect on Darcy of a transfer of physical custody from Gladys, whom Darcy refers to as mother, to Della, whom Darcy has not seen for an extended period since 1977. We conclude that the juvenile court's order as to disposition is not in Darcy's best interests. In reaching this conclusion we again emphasize that deprivation has been established and we are concerned in this issue only with Darcy's best interests. Additionally, because the juvenile court was obviously uncertain that Darcy's best interests would be served by placing her in Della's physical custody, it placed legal custody with the Kidder County Social Service Board in order to monitor Darcy's care while she was with Della. The juvenile court's order placing Darcy in the legal custody of the Kidder County Social Service Board with physical custody in Della is a disposition authorized by statute. Sec. 27-20-30, N.D.C.C. Apparently because Joseph and Della had informed the court they intended to return to Washington, the order also provided that if Della did return to Washington legal custody would be transferred to an appropriate agency of that State in accordance with Section 27-20-30(1)(c), N.D.C.C. That section provides that after determining a child is deprived the court may: c. Without making any of the foregoing orders transfer custody of the child to the juvenile court of another state if authorized by and in accordance with section 27-20-39 if the child is or is about to become a resident of that state. [Emphasis ours.] The application of this provision in this instance may be in question because the trial court did make an order placing legal custody of Darcy with the Kidder County Social Service Board and physical custody with Della. More important, however, Section 27-20-39, to which Section 27-20-30(1)(c) refers, requires the receipt and filing of an acceptance of jurisdiction by the court of the other State before the courts of this State may transfer jurisdiction of the child. [4] The record is bare of any request from the court of this State to a court of another State to accept jurisdiction and, of course, bare of any acceptance of the court of another State of jurisdiction of Darcy. Although the trial court attempted to meet its concern by transferring jurisdiction of Darcy to an appropriate agency of the State to which Della might move, that attempt does not comply with the statutory requirements in Section 27-20-39, N.D.C.C. Darcy lived with Gladys and Della from her birth until September 1976, when Della took Darcy with her and accompanied Gaub to Washington. The testimony is abundantly clear that during the time Darcy and Della lived with Gladys it was Gladys who provided most of Darcy's needs. Darcy called Gladys mother but called Della by her name. In June 1977, at Della's request, Gladys went to Washington and took Darcy back to North Dakota. Since that time Darcy has resided with Gladys and Gladys's husband, Jonathon. This court has previously concluded that a change in custody from grandparents who are psychological parents to a natural father who has neglected the child will not be ordered unless a change in custody is necessary to promote and protect a child's welfare. In Interest [Custody] of D. G., 246 N.W.2d 892 (N.D. 1976). Applying the best interest of the child standard the court held that grandparents who had raised a six-year-old child in their home from birth were entitled to custody as against a father who had abandoned the child and provided little support or care even when contact was re-established, stating: In the instant case, the child has lived with his grandparents for his entire life. [The transfer of custody ordered by the juvenile court was stayed during the pendency of this appeal.] He is loved there and cared for there. He and his grandfather enjoy a father-son relationship. It is the only home he has ever known, and the grandparents are the persons to whom he turns for help and reassurance. On the other hand, the child hardly knows his father and does not consider him to be his father. And the father admits to never having kissed the child or shown him any affection. It is no doubt true that the father, with his present wife, is more settled than he was when he left his son. We do not feel, however, that this potential for a good family life is enough to offset the detrimental effects of a change in custody on the child. Continuity in a child's life, especially a young child, is one of the most important factors in determining that child's best interests. . . . In this case, continuity in the child's life can be preserved by maintaining custody with the grandparents. . . . 246 N.W.2d at 895. This court reversed the trial court's transfer of custody to the father and awarded custody to the grandparents. Although deprivation was not an issue in In Interest of D. G., custody was an issue and the best interest of the child was the test, just as it is the test in considering disposition of a deprived child. The similarity between the circumstances in In Interest of D. G. and the instant case is obvious. See also In Interest of J. O., 250 N.W.2d 256 (N.D. 1977). We conclude that Darcy's best interest would be served at this time by leaving physical custody with Gladys, not transferring physical custody to Della. The trial court's order determining that Darcy is a deprived child and granting legal custody to the Kidder County Social Service Board is affirmed. The trial court's order granting physical custody of Darcy to Della, the mother, and denying physical custody to Gladys, the grandmother, is reversed. We remand to the juvenile court with directions to vacate the order granting physical custody of Darcy to Della and with the further directions to enter an order granting physical custody to Gladys. Upon remand, the juvenile court may impose such conditions in the custody order as it deems necessary and proper. ERICKSTAD, C. J., and PEDERSON, PAULSON and SAND, JJ., concur.