Opinion ID: 1711002
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether a termination-of-parental-rights hearing is an adjudicatory proceeding at which hearsay evidence is inadmissible.

Text: In A.W.G. v. Jefferson County Department of Human Resources, 861 So.2d 400 (Ala.Civ.App.2003), a case released after Y.M., the Court of Civil Appeals explained its holding in Y.M. as follows: The main opinion in Y.M. carefully reviewed the provisions of Ala.Code 1975, § 12-15-65(f) and (h), as well as § 12-15-71(a), and concluded `that a parental-rights-termination hearing is an adjudicatory proceeding at which hearsay evidence, which is permitted by § 12-15-65(h) in a dispositional proceeding, is inadmissible.' 861 So.2d at 406. We have reviewed the applicable statutory law and case-law, and we agree with the Court of Civil Appeals that a hearing at which the court considers the termination of parental rights is an adjudicatory proceeding. See Santosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745, 102 S.Ct. 1388, 71 L.Ed.2d 599 (1982); § 12-15-65(f) and (h), Ala.Code 1975; and § 12-15-71(a), Ala.Code 1975. In Santosky, the United States Supreme Court examined the procedure in the State of New York for terminating parental rights. The Court noted that the State of New York bifurcates its proceeding into a fact-finding phase and a dispositional phase. 455 U.S. at 748, 102 S.Ct. 1388. In the fact-finding phase, the trial court must determine that the child has been permanently neglected. During this phase the State of New York must prove that the natural parents are at fault and that they are clearly unfit to raise their own children. Indeed, the natural parents and the State of New York are adversaries. 455 U.S. at 759-60, 102 S.Ct. 1388. If the trial court finds the parents unfit, then the trial court enters the dispositional phase, at which it decides what placement would be in the best interest of the child. 455 U.S. at 760, 102 S.Ct. 1388. Similar to the statutory scheme established by the New York Legislature, our Legislature has established a bifurcated process by which parental rights are terminated. During the adjudicatory or fact-finding phase, the trial court determines from clear and convincing evidence, competent, material, and relevant in nature, that the parents are unable or unwilling to discharge their responsibilities to and for the child, or that the conduct or condition of the parents is such as to render them unable to properly care for the child and that such conduct is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. § 26-18-7(a), Ala.Code 1975. The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals in In re Colbert, 474 So.2d 1143 (Ala.Civ.App.1985), and its progeny set out the following test to be applied when the State petitions for the termination of parental rights: [T]he court must apply what is essentially a two-prong test. First, the court must find from clear and convincing evidence that the child is dependent. § 12-15-65(e), Code of Alabama 1975. See § 26-18-7(a), Code of Alabama 1975; Brown v. Alabama Department of Pensions and Security, [473 So.2d 533 (Ala.Civ.App.1985)]. Once dependency is found, our court has stated that the trial court must determine whether less drastic measures than termination of parental rights would best serve the interest of the child. See Glover v. Alabama Department of Pensions and Security, 401 So.2d 786 (Ala.Civ.App.1981); Miller v. Alabama Department of Pensions and Security, 374 So.2d 1370 (Ala.Civ.App.1979). 474 So.2d at 1145. See Ex parte Beasley, 564 So.2d 950 (Ala.1990)(establishing that trial court must find that grounds for termination exist and that all viable alternatives to the termination of parental rights have been considered before it can terminate a parent's rights). See also A.W.G., supra; S.B.L. v. Cleburne County Dep't of Human Res., 881 So.2d 1029 (Ala.Civ.App.2003); and H.M.W. v. Mobile County Dep't of Human Res., 631 So.2d 1049 (Ala.Civ.App.1993). The court in In re Colbert further held that only after the trial court has found that grounds for terminating parental rights exist and that there is no viable alternative to the termination of parental rights can the court terminate the parental rights. After the trial court enters its order terminating the parent's rights, it is authorized pursuant to § 12-15-65(f), Ala.Code 1975, to make proper disposition of the case, pursuant to § 26-18-8, Ala.Code 1975. [2] The order of the trial court terminating a parent's rights to her child once affirmed on appeal is permanent. State Dep't of Human Res. v. Thomas, 554 So.2d 1063 (Ala.Civ.App.1989)(holding that Child Protection Act provides for permanent placement and permanent custody of child once parental rights have been terminated). Because of the finality of a trial court's determination to terminate a parent's rights, the proceeding in the trial court is clearly an adjudicatory proceeding. Therefore, we agree with the Court of Civil Appeals that a proceeding to terminate a parent's rights pursuant to § 26-18-7, Ala.Code 1975, is an adjudication. We further recognize, as did the Court of Civil Appeals, that only competent, material, and relevant evidence may be admitted during an adjudicatory proceeding to terminate a parent's rights. See § 12-15-65(f) and § 26-18-7(a), Ala.Code 1975. Additionally, we acknowledge, as did the Court of Civil Appeals, that hearsay evidence is not considered competent evidence in an adjudicatory proceeding, unless it falls within one of the exceptions provided by the Alabama Rules of Evidence, other rules adopted by this Court, or by statute. [3] Rule 802, Ala. R. Evid. Hearsay evidence is admissible at an adjudicatory hearing if it falls within one of the exceptions provided in Rules 803 and 804, Ala. R. Evid. For example, Rule 803(6), Ala. R. Evid., provides that records of regularly conducted activity are not excluded by the hearsay rule. See L.A.C. v. State Dep't of Human Res., [Ms. 2020794, October 24, 2003] ___ So.2d ___ (Ala.Civ.App.2003)(analyzing a report prepared by employee of a hospital intervention program to determine if it was admissible as a business record pursuant to Rule 803(6), Ala. R. Evid.). Thus, hearsay evidence is admissible at a termination-of-parental-rights proceeding only if it falls within one of the exceptions recognized in Rule 802, 803, or 804, Ala. R. Evid.