Opinion ID: 888524
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: factual and procedural backround

Text: ¶2 On February 22, 2005, the Teton County Deputy Attorney, on behalf of the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), filed a petition for temporary investigative authority (TIA Petition) to conduct an investigation into allegations that J.C. and A.D. had been abused, neglected or abandoned. A show cause hearing on the TIA Petition was held on March 8, 2005. After the hearing, the District Court granted the TIA petition by an order dated March 8, 2005. ¶3 The circumstances leading to the filing of the TIA Petition are described in the District Court's order and are undisputed. On December 9, 2004, DPHHS received a report from a physician in Great Falls, Montana, concerning J.C. and A.D. after they were taken to see him by the parents. The physician reported that J.C. and A.D. were not clean, were wearing dirty clothes that did not fit, and that J.C. had rotten teeth that appeared to be from bottle rot. The physician was suspicious that the family was running from something or somewhere. ¶4 On that same day, J.D. contacted DPHHS community social worker Patty Jacobs stating that he and G.C. had recently moved to Montana from Vermont where they had been receiving services and that they would like to continue to receive those services in Montana. Ms. Jacobs followed up on their prior services in Vermont and contacted Kathy O'Brien, a child protection social worker for the state of Vermont. Ms. O'Brien related she had been assigned to their case, that Vermont had jurisdiction over their case, and that the parents had indicated to officials in Vermont that they were taking a trip to Montana and would be returning to Vermont shortly. Ms. O'Brien then related the following information, as contained in the District Court's order: She further advised that the Youths were removed from G.C. on June 9, 2004, because of unsafe and unsanitary living conditions in the home. When Ms. O'Brien investigated and entered the home, both J.C. and A.D. were sharing a playpen surrounded by garbage and rotten food. A.D. had dry feces on his chest that had been smeared around. The workers found feces in the crib in piles and also smeared on the crib rails. Dirty diapers laid around the crib, feces was in toilets left unflushed, food [and] garbage was on the floor throughout the house. Protective Supervision over the parents was granted with the parents required to follow recommendations of the agency. . . . The recommendations put in place were that the parents were to work with Family Based Services, participate in parenting classes and mental health counseling, and that they were to receive medical services. ¶5 When G.C. and J.D. learned that DPHHS would continue with the plan initiated in Vermont, they advised that they would return to Vermont and live in a motel until they could obtain housing. Prior to their arrival in Montana, G.C. had been waiting for housing in Vermont for approximately six months and had been evicted on a previous occasion. While Ms. Jacobs offered to work with G.C. and J.D., she also informed them that if they were to leave Montana, the children would be removed because they would be homeless and without medical, dental, or mental health services. G.C. and J.D. subsequently obtained housing in Choteau, Montana with their children. ¶6 Prior to the show cause hearing on the TIA Petition, a guardian at litem was appointed for the children, and G.C. and J.D. voluntarily entered into a treatment plan with DPHHS. The first section of this treatment plan, which both parents signed, reads as follows: IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEMS OR CONDITIONS THAT RESULTED IN THE ABUSE OR NEGLECT: 1) J.C. and A.D. have developmental delay issues, including difficulty with language. 2) J.C. has severe dental decay that requires immediate attention. 3) G.C. and J.D. have no knowledge of child development, no knowledge of appropriate parenting skills, and limited home maintenance skills. ¶7 The treatment plan contained four major goals and nine specific tasks for G.C. and J.D. to complete in order to remedy the conditions which resulted in the abuse and neglect of their children. At the show cause hearing on March 8, 2005, the District Court asked the parents if they objected to the State's involvement in the matter, or to any element of the treatment plan. Neither of the parents objected to the treatment plan itself, although J.D. did object to one portion of the treatment plan that required him to undergo sex offender counseling. Although the parents did not have counsel at that time, the District Court informed them that he would appoint counsel in the matter if they requested it. The parents did not request counsel at that time. ¶8 In an affidavit in support of the TIA Petition, Ms. Jacobs stated that as a result of her thorough investigation into this matter, she concluded that the parents had failed to make progress on the deficiencies which originally led to the intervention by the State of Vermont. According to Ms. Jacobs, J.C. and A.D. were still in need of medical care, WIC supplements, and evaluation and services for language and speech development. J.C. was behind in his development, requiring speech evaluation immediately. Ms. Jacobs was concerned about the condition of the children's teeth, their lack of language development, possible hearing deficits, and undergrowth and weight gain. Moreover, J.C. appeared unhappy, was screaming and crying frequently, and A.D. was frequently expressionless and intimidated. ¶9 The District Court granted the TIA Petition. The District Court noted that DPHHS had made reasonable efforts to avoid protective placement of the children and had not removed the children from G.C. and J.D.'s care, as the continuation of the children in the home at that time was not contrary to the welfare of the children. The District Court ordered that DPHHS be granted the necessary authority to access all information concerning the family which are relevant to the investigation and determination of whether the above-named children are youths in need of care . . . . As is clear from this language as contained in the order, at the time TIA Petition was granted there had not yet been a formal adjudication that J.C. and A.D. were youths in need of care, notwithstanding the fact that the order granting the TIA Petition was captioned Order Adjudicating Children as Youth in Need of Care and Granting Temporary Investigative Authority. ¶10 On April 1, 2005, the District Court appointed counsel for J.D. and G.C. On April 5, the children were removed from G.C. and J.D.'s care. On April 7, 2005, less than one month after the granting of the TIA Petition, Teton County, on behalf of DPHHS, filed a Petition for Adjudication of Child as Youth in Need of Care, Immediate Protection and Emergency Protective Services, and Temporary Legal Custody (TLC Petition). In the TLC Petition, the Teton County Deputy Attorney alleged as follows: Since the date of the Show Cause hearing on March 8, 2005, the children's living environment, physical condition and care has deteriorated. This change in their circumstances has necessitated their removal from the home. Specifically, Dr. Laura Shelton has diagnosed J.C. as a Failure to Thrive child. Additionally, Public Health Nurse Jolynn Miller indicates both children are below the 5th percentile in the weight and growth charts and that J.C. has actually lost weight over the past month. As is more specifically set forth in the Affidavit of Social Worker Patty Jacobs attached hereto, the home of the children is not adequately furnished despite the apparent financial ability of the parents to adequately provide furnishings, the children are frequently in dirty, mismatched clothing, and locked in their bedroom or otherwise confined with limited movement in their home. Additionally, A.D. continues to show very little expression or emotional response. On March 28, 2005, a day care provider observed unusual marks on A.D. that were also sticky. It appears duct tape was placed on the child over the front part of his torso and leg area. This matter has been referred to the Teton County Sheriff's Office for investigation. Finally, the dietary needs of the children are still not being met. Day care personnel indicate that every Monday J.C. has diarrhea, but by the end of the week he is fine. Day care personnel have noted that J.C. eats very well at day care and that none of the eating issues are present that the parents complain about. The dental condition of J.C. continues to be a concern. His front teeth are rotten and J.C. complains his teeth hurt him. Upon removal of the children by the Social Worker on April 5, 2005, it was discovered that both children were infected with head lice. They have had their heads shaved because larvae and eggs were observed. ¶11 In the TLC Petition, the Teton County Deputy Attorney went on to allege that: [T]here is sufficient evidence to establish, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the above-named child is a Youth in Need of Care as defined in Mont. Code Ann. § 41-3-102 (2003), such that the Court should enter an order of adjudication and temporary legal custody. ¶12 The Teton County Deputy Attorney also requested, in part, the following relief: Following an adjudicatory hearing, Petitioner requests the court to: 2. Incorporate the terms and provisions of its previous orders granting relief; 3. Enter an order adjudicating the children as youths in need of care, by a preponderance of the evidence; 4. Transfer legal custody of the children to the Department of Public Health and Human Services for a period not to exceed 6 months, or until further order of the Court; 5. For any and all other such disposition that protects the welfare of the child. ¶13 On April 8, 2005, the District Court temporarily granted DPHHS temporary legal custody (TLC) over J.C. and A.D., finding that there was probable cause to believe that the children were abused or neglected, and setting a show cause hearing for April 19. On April 19, the District Court appointed Ms. Meghan Lulf Sutton as counsel for the parents, and continued the show cause hearing to May 6, 2005, allowing the temporary order granting the TLC Petition to remain in place. ¶14 At the May 6 hearing, J.D. and G.C. were represented by Ms. Sutton, and Teton County was represented by Deputy Attorney Ms. Laurie McKinnon. The transcript of that hearing reads as follows: COURT: Alright, this is the time set for a Review Hearing in this matter, the Court having previously granted the State Temporary Investigative authority. Go ahead. MS. McKINNON: Well, I'm not sure when the Review Hearing was set, but today's the Show Cause Hearing on an Emergency Removal, as well as on Temporary Legal Custody. COURT: Alright, you may proceed. Ms. Sutton? MS. SUTTON: Yes, Your Honor. My clients are going to stipulate to the request for Temporary Legal Custody. I have had a conversation with them about that, and they're currently working on a treatment plan and visits have just started. They have doneafter talking to the Social Worker, she tells me the case is progressing and reunification is coming on as planned and hoped for, and we would stipulate to Temporary Legal Custody. I would ask the Court to set a status hearing in three months just to see where we're at with reunification and getting those children back in the home. COURT: Alright, I'll grant, based upon the stipulation of the parents, I'll grant the State's request for Temporary Legal Custody. It will last for a period of six months, and it will expire on November 4th. We'll have a hearing on July 26th, a Review Hearing, to determine the status of this matter, and at that time, if necessary, I'll set a further Review Hearing prior to the expiration of Temporary Legal Custody. Will that work? MS. McKINNON: Yes, Judge, thank you. COURT: If you want to give me an order to that effect, I'll sign it, okay. MS. SUTTON: Thank you, Your Honor. (Emphasis added). ¶15 The District Court signed an order granting the TLC Petition that same day. Based upon the evidence and allegations contained in the TLC Petition, the District Court issued the following findings of fact in support of its decision: 2. A Petition for Adjudication of Children as Youth in Need of Care and Temporary Investigative Authority was previously filed and granted on March 8, 2005. 3. Since that date, the living environment, physical condition and care of the children has deteriorated. 4. Dr. Laura Shelton diagnosed J.C. as a Failure to Thrive child. 5. Public Health Nurse JoLynn Miller indicates both children are below the 5th percentile in weight and growth charts, specifically J.C. had lost weight. 6. A.D. has been observed to show little expression or emotional response. 7. Daycare provider observed unusual marks on A.D. It appeared that duct tape had been placed on the child over the front of his torso and leg area. 8. The Youths dietary needs have not been meet. 9. J.C. continues to have dental concerns, i.e., his front teeth have rotted. 10. The Court appointed Meghan Lulf Sutton to represent G.C., Mother of the Youths, and J.D., Father/Stepfather of the Youths. ¶16 These findings, in turn, led the District Court to issue the following conclusions of law: 2. The Court has jurisdiction of this matter. 3. The Petitioner has shown by a preponderance of the evidence that continued court and department intervention is required. 4. The above-named children were adjudicated as Youth in Need of Care on March 8, 2005. 5. Temporary Legal Custody is appropriate and in the best interest of the children. ¶17 On October 18, 2005, Teton County filed a Petition for Extension of Temporary Legal Custody (TLC Extension Petition). The deputy attorney alleged in this Petition that the children continued to suffer abuse and neglect. In the TLC Extension Petition, the deputy attorney also alleged that since entering into a treatment plan and agreeing to work with DPHHS, J.D. and G.C. had received two eviction notices. Although arrangements had been made for them to undergo evaluation for gambling problems, the parents denied they had gambling problems in spite of the fact that they both frequented casinos. Moreover, the parents were asked to see a therapist for couples counseling since they had troubling getting along and were fighting continuously. They told Ms. Jacobs that they had done so but, in fact, they had not attended any counseling at all. Further, they refused to sign releases allowing DPHHS to gather the required information in accordance with their treatment plan. They also refused to schedule appointments with DPHHS social workers to work on nutritional issues, as required under their treatment plan. Accordingly, the deputy attorney re-alleged that there was sufficient evidence to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that they were youths in need of care (YINC), as defined in § 41-3-102, MCA, and that the original TLC Petition should be extended. ¶18 At a show cause hearing on the TLC Extension Petition on October 25, 2005, J.D. and G.C. were once again represented by counsel. During this hearing, the following exchange occurred: COURT: Alright, this is a hearing on the Order to Show Cause. It appears that the State is asking for a continuation of Temporary Legal Custody; is that correct? MS. McKINNON: Yes, Judge. COURT: Is there any objection from the parents as to a continuation of that Temporary Legal Custody? MS. SUTTON: Your Honor, I had a lengthy discussion with Patty Jacobs and Ms. McKinnon, and we hammered out a new treatment plan, and my clients have agreed to stipulate to that, I'm stipulating on behalf of my clients, at this time, to the extension of T. L. C. (Emphasis added). ¶19 The first section of this second treatment plan, to which the parents stipulated in open court and later signed, states as follows: IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEMS OR CONDITIONS THAT CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONDITIONS OF ABUSE AND/OR NEGLECT: 2. Failure to pay bills that are necessary to maintain warm, safe housing. 3. Failure to work with Quality Life Concepts; missed appointments. 4. Failure to work cooperatively with Family Based Services; rudeness to the provider. 5. Failure to attend counseling; told Social Worker they were attending. 6. Failure to attend nutritional education; refusal to set appointments resulting in nurses being unable to spend the time to work with G.C. and J.D. if they did happen to show up at [the] Public Health Department. ¶20 A review hearing was later set for January 10, 2006. At that time, G.C. and J.D. were again represented by Ms. Sutton, at which the following colloquy occurred: COURT: Now . . . since this is a review hearing, do we need to do anything more? MS. McKINNON: Nothing more from the State, Your Honor. MS. SUTTON: Your Honor, we're stipulating to the treatment plan and we don't have any opposition to that, at this time. COURT: There is a treatment plan in place that has been signed off on by the Court, I believe? MS. SUTTON: Yes, Your Honor. (Emphasis added.) ¶21 Another review hearing was held on March 14, 2006, where the District Court received an update on the parents' progress. Prior to the date of this hearing, separate counsel was appointed for J.D. because DPHHS had expressed to the parents that it might seek to terminate their parental rights. At the hearing, Ms. Jacobs testified that the home visits were not able to be properly supervised because of the smell of cigarette smoke in the apartment, and that the excessive smoke was causing wheezing with the children. Moreover, Ms. Jacobs stated that based on the observations of care providers the least amount of contact they have with their parents, that the less aggressive they are and the better their behaviors are, which leads to the concerns of their treatment of the children and their compliance with the treatment plan, or I should say their failure with the treatment plan. The District Court expressed concern over the smoking issue and set another review hearing for April 25, 2006. ¶22 Prior to the next review hearing, G.C. and J.D. signed and agreed to a third treatment plan. The first section of this third treatment plan read as follows: IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEMS OR CONDITIONS THAT RESULTED IN THE ABUSE OR NEGLECT. 1) J.C. and A.D. have developmental delay issues, especially in the area of language skills. 2) G.C. and J.D. have limited parenting skills and limited home maintenance skills. G.C. and J.D. have limited knowledge of child development. 3) G.C. and J.D. have anger management problems. This causes them to ignore the service providers who are trying to teach them new skills. 4) G. C. and J.D. have relationship problems, creating a tremendous amount of tension and stress in the home environment. 5) G.C. and J.D. have been unable to manage payment of monthly living expenses, both have gambling issues that need to be addressed. 6) G.C. and J.D. have childhood abuse issues that interfere with appropriate parenting. In addition, because of their abusive childhoods, extended family is not a supportive option for these young parents. ¶23 At the April 25 hearing, the parties again stipulated to continuing the TLC Petition. At that hearing, S.M. (the biological father of J.C.), was represented by William E. Hunt, Jr. Mr. Hunt argued that, under statute, the District Court was required to hold a permanency hearing under § 41-3-445, MCA, given the length of TLC. The District Court stated its belief that there was no limitation on the timeframes of TLC, so long as the District Court granted them in six month intervals. However, to address concerns raised by counsel and ensure compliance with statutory procedures, the District Court deemed the proceeding a permanency hearing based on testimony given by Ms. Jacobs concerning the children's status and the parents' progress on their treatment plans. After her testimony, Ms. Sutton addressed the District Court: MS. SUTTON: 41-3-445 provides that a permanency hearing can be held in conjunction with any other hearing, and it sets forth some criteria of what needs to be discussed at the permanency hearing, and to satisfy Mr. Hunt's objection, they could call this a review hearing on a permanency plan. We're satisfied that all the criteria under the statute, from Ms. Jacobs' testimony today, has been satisfied . . . . ¶24 On June 30, 2006, S.M. filed a petition through his attorney Mr. Hunt to have J.C., his biological son, temporarily reside with him in Vermont. On July 25, 2006, the District Court granted the petition, allowing J.C. to temporarily reside with S.M. in Vermont from July 31 to September 1. This date was later extended. ¶25 On October 11, 2006, the Teton County Deputy Attorney, on behalf of DPHHS, filed a petition to terminate G.C. and J.D.'s parental rights. A hearing was eventually held on this petition on December 12, 2006. However, the District Court did not grant the petition at that time. Although the District Court received evidence that the parents had not complied with previous treatment plans, the District Court was concerned that the existence of multiple treatment plans created some doubt as to which plan had not properly been complied with, and that this uncertainty could leave the proceedings open to reversal on appeal. As a result, the District Court ordered the parents to enter into a fourth treatment plan so that they would have another chance to comply with its terms, leaving no doubt about the propriety of a potential termination. ¶26 On October 24, 2006, DPHHS stipulated to extend S.M.'s custody of J.C. until January 31, 2007. This stipulation, to which neither G.C. nor J.D. objected, states in part that J.C. was adjudicated as a Youth in Need of Care on March 8, 2005. On February 22, 2007, in response to a motion from DPHHS, the District Court allowed S.M. to retain custody of J.C. in Vermont. According to the record, J.C. continues to reside with S.M. in Vermont. ¶27 With respect to A.D., however, DPHHS continued to retain TLC. On January 24, 2007, the parents entered into a fourth treatment plan with DPHHS. The first section of this fourth treatment plan, which the parents signed and stipulated to, reads as follows: IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEMS OR CONDITIONS THAT RESULTED IN THE ABUSE OR NEGLECT. 1) G.C. and J.D. have limited parenting skills and limited home management skills. G.C. and J.D. have limited knowledge of child development. 2) G.C. and J.D. have limited knowledge of nutritional education, causing their children to be diagnosed with Failure to Thrive. In addition, G.C. and J.D. do not attend to their own nutritional needs. 3) G.C. and J.D. must stop smoking, as both of their children are diagnosed with asthma. Doctors recommend these children be kept from cigarette smoke. ¶28 On March 23, 2007, another review hearing was held. At that time, the District Court heard testimony concerning the parents' progress toward meeting the treatment goals, which indicated that the parents were not complying with the treatment plan. At the end of the hearing, the District Court addressed the parents, who were still represented by counsel, and informed them that [t]he State's going to move to terminate so you have to do what they ask of you in a hurry to stop that, to convince the Court. ¶29 On June 11, 2007, DPHHS filed a second Petition for Permanent Legal Custody and Termination of Parental Rights with the Right to Consent to Adoption (Termination Petition). In support of the Termination Petition, DPHHS alleged that: (1) A.D. and J.C. had been adjudicated as YINC within the meaning of § 41-3-102, MCA (2005), by the District Court on May 6, 2005; (2) four appropriate treatment plans had been prepared and approved by the District Court and G.C. and J.D. had failed to comply with them; (3) the conduct or condition rendering J.D. and G.C. unfit parents is unlikely to change within a reasonable time; (4) the continuation of the parent-child relationship will likely result in continued abuse or neglect; (5) the children had been in out-of-home care for approximately twenty-four months; and (6) that the best interest of the children would be served by terminating G.C. and J.D.'s parental rights and granting DPHHS's Petition. ¶30 On September 13, 2007, a termination hearing was held before the District Court. Based on the evidence taken at that hearing, and the fact that G.C. and J.D. had failed to comply with the most recent treatment plan, the District Court granted the Termination Petition. In its order, the District Court stated that J.C. and A.D. had been adjudicated YINC on March 8, 2005, and that, based on the evidence before it, all the other statutory requirements for a termination had been satisfied. ¶31 On October 25, 2007, J.D. filed a notice of appeal with this Court challenging the termination of his parental rights. The kernel of J.D.'s appeal is that the District Court abused its discretion in terminating his parental rights because A.D. and J.C. were never formally adjudicated as youths in need of care prior to the termination of J.D. and G.C.'s parental rights. J.D. argues that the absence of this adjudication requires reversal of the proceedings below. J.D.'s appeal is timely taken.