Opinion ID: 1754160
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Maturity

Text: Doe does not have the burden of proving in this Court that she is mature. That is because, as we explain below, a minor such as Doe, who is appealing the denial of her application under the first prong of the statute, only needs to conclusively refute the trial court's actual findings. Because the trial court found as fact that Doe was not sufficiently well informed, for us to grant her application the record must establish the converse as a matter of law. But the trial court's failure to find that Doe was not mature does not require her to conclusively establish her maturity to prevail on appeal. This distinction is, perhaps, unique to proceedings under this statute, but the statutory scheme in place requires it, as well as the Parental Notification Rules this Court adopted under the statute. This statutory scheme requires both a timely and complete judgment to support the denial of a minor's bypass application. First, if the trial court does not hold a hearing or rule on a minor's application within the statutory time limits, the application is granted as a matter of law. See TEX. FAM.CODE § 33.003(h). In addition, if the trial court holds a hearing and denies an application within the allotted time, but does not also issue written findings of fact and conclusions of law, the application is deemed granted, thereby implying findings contrary to the trial court's judgment. See id. A trial court that fails to make a finding on one of the two elements of the first statutory prong does not run afoul of these requirements because a negative finding on only one element supports denial of the minor's application. But because the minor must establish both elements to succeed, an appellate court that determines that the minor conclusively established the element on which the trial court based its denial must confront the effect of the trial court's failure to make a finding on the other element. This failure to find creates uncertainty, because it could reflect either that the minor met her burden of proof on that element or that she did not. By providing that an application is deemed granted if a trial court fails to make required findings, the statute indicates that we must resolve this uncertainty in the minor's favor if she has put on evidence of the element the trial court did not find. Additionally, it is contrary to the expedited nature of these proceedings to require a remand when the trial court fails to issue particular findings. After all, our own rules prohibit courts of appeals from remanding under any circumstances. See Tex. Parental Notification R. 3.3(b). For these reasons, an omitted element should be deemed to have been found in the minor's favor if there is some evidence to support the finding. Here, Doe presented evidence that she is mature; we therefore deem that the trial court found this element in her favor. In her dissent, Justice Owen argues that well-established common-law principles regarding appellate review require us to recognize an implied finding that Doe is not mature as though this were an omitted element of Doe's claim. This purported common-law principle, and most of the cases cited to support it, are based upon Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 299, which provides that, when one or more elements of a claim or defense have been found, omitted unrequested elements, when supported by evidence, will be supplied by presumption in support of the judgment. Tex.R. Civ. P. 299. Thus, the argument goes, if there is some evidence supporting the trial court's failure to find that the minor is mature, the judgment must be affirmed. Justice Owen acknowledges that Rule 299 conflicts with section 33.003 and does not apply. But even under its general principles, omitted findings are only supplied if they are necessary to the judgment. See, e.g., Wisdom v. Smith, 146 Tex. 420, 209 S.W.2d 164, 166-67 (1948); Bednarz v. State, 142 Tex. 138, 176 S.W.2d 562, 563 (1943). As we have explained, a negative finding on one element of the first prong is alone sufficient to support denial of the application. Thus, an implied finding on the second element is not necessary to the judgment and the general principle behind the rule does not authorize such a finding. Furthermore, as we have explained, a deemed finding on an omitted element against the minor would be contrary to the Legislature's intent in deeming an application granted if the trial court fails timely to make findings. For these reasons, we cannot infer that the trial court based its decision on a determination that Doe was not mature. Rather, we consider whether Doe established that she is sufficiently well informed to make the decision to consent to an abortion without notifying a parent.