Opinion ID: 901463
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Adjudication of Abuse and Neglect

Text: [¶ 30.] The mother next contends that the circuit court erred when it adjudicated the children abused and neglected. Specifically, the mother asserts that the court was not permitted to use matters litigated in the previous abuse and neglect proceedings as grounds for the current adjudication. Without those matters, she claims, the circumstances surrounding the February 12 incident do not provide sufficient evidence to support the court's adjudication. [¶ 31.] An adjudication of abuse and neglect must be supported by clear and convincing evidence. Interest of D.T., Jr., 2003 SD 88, ¶ 10, 667 N.W.2d 694, 698 (citing Matter of J.A.H., 502 N.W.2d 120, 123 (S.D.1993) (additional citations omitted)). We review the circuit court's findings of fact under the clearly erroneous standard, giving due regard to the court's opportunity to judge the credibility of the witnesses. Interest of T.G., 1998 SD 54, ¶ 16, 578 N.W.2d 921, 923 (citation omitted). We think it was within the court's discretion to take judicial notice of the findings from the previous adjudication. D.T., Jr., 2003 SD 88, ¶ 10, 667 N.W.2d at 698 (citing J.A.H., 502 N.W.2d at 123; Matter of L.B., 416 N.W.2d 598, 599 (S.D.1987); Matter of R.Z.F., 284 N.W.2d 879, 881 (S.D.1979); In re K.D.E., 87 S.D. 501, 506, 210 N.W.2d 907, 910 (S.D.1973)). Moreover, because the court is required to act in the best interest of the children, it is not improper for a court to consider the circumstances that brought about the previous adjudication. [¶ 32.] In this case, the court took judicial notice of the previous adjudication of abuse and neglect in Lincoln County. In its factual findings, it also repeated verbatim the findings in the previous adjudication. In doing so, the court was not relitigating the previous case. Rather, the court was using the prior findings to recite the children's history so as to declare what was in the children's best interests based on the entire relationship between the children and the mother. See R.Z.F., 284 N.W.2d at 881. Ultimately, however, it still remains our task to examine whether the circuit court erred when it adjudicated the children abused and neglected. Based on our review of the evidence we cannot say that we are left with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake was made. It is undisputed that T.O. sexually abused the mother's children. The mother, nevertheless, continued to have a relationship with T.O. In fact, she admitted that she exposed J.S. to T.O. on February 12, 2004. Certainly, the evidence supports the court's conclusion that clear and convincing evidence existed that the children lacked proper parental care through the actions or omissions of [the mother] and were threatened with substantial harm[.]