Opinion ID: 1847492
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: admissibility of mental health and criminal histories

Text: In their first assignments of error, Ben and Joanna both assign that it was error for the juvenile court to admit Joanna's mental health and medical history predating the birth of the children. Ben does not actually address this assignment of error in his brief. In order to be considered by an appellate court, an alleged error must be both specifically assigned and specifically argued in the brief of the party asserting the error; therefore, we decline to address Ben's assignment. [3] But Joanna does assign and argue this issue, and accordingly, we address her arguments. In addition to arguing that her mental health and medical histories were inadmissible, Joanna argues that it was error to admit her criminal history. We turn first to Joanna's criminal history. There is no mention made of Joanna's criminal history in the juvenile court's order. Nor does Joanna argue in her brief precisely what evidence should have been excluded. But the record shows that Joanna once made false accusations of rape against at least one man that she worked with. According to the record, Joanna felt pressured to have sex with the man and did so, but then felt guilty afterward. Given our review of this record, even assuming that the admission of this evidence was in error, it was harmless. Our review is de novo on the record; any error is cured so long as this court does not rely on the challenged evidence. Improper admission of evidence in a parental rights proceeding does not, in and of itself, constitute reversible error, for, as long as the appellant properly objected, an appellate court will not consider any such evidence in its de novo review of the record. [4] Because, as explained in more detail below, there is sufficient evidence to support the termination of Joanna's parental rights, her argument with respect to her criminal history is without merit. Turning next to Joanna's mental health and medical histories and diagnoses, Joanna argues that any history predating the birth of the children is too remote to be probative, that the diagnoses in question were provided by doctors other than her treating physicians, that there was no causal connection shown between the histories and the alleged parenting problems, and that the history was unduly prejudicial. Joanna contends there is no indication that any of her alleged diagnoses affect her ability to parent or would be sufficient to support the termination of her parental rights and that it was inappropriate for the juvenile court to rely on this past medical history as a basis for the termination of her parental rights. To the extent Joanna argues that the juvenile court terminated her parental rights because she has a mental illness, such is not borne out in the juvenile court's decision. Rather, the juvenile court considered Joanna's illnesses within the framework of whether Joanna could be rehabilitated and whether it was in the children's best interests to have Joanna's rights terminated. We conclude that the juvenile court did not err in admitting evidence of Joanna's mental health and medical issues experienced prior to the birth of the children, and we reject Joanna's argument to the contrary. This court has stated that a court is not prohibited from considering prior events when determining whether to terminate parental rights. [5] The challenged evidence is relevant to what happened to Hope, Sam, and Xavier. First, the evidence shows a pattern of medical intervention sought by Joanna for herself, which is relevant when considered in light of what was alleged to have occurred to her children. But even more importantly, the evidence shows the depth of Joanna's mental health issues and the multiple attempts at treatment that Joanna, for the most part unsuccessfully, underwent. Whether Joanna recognizes her mental health issues and whether she responds to treatment are both highly relevant to whether it is in the best interests of Hope, Sam, Xavier, and Gracie that Joanna's parental rights be terminated. Joanna's first assignment of error is without merit.