Opinion ID: 1669823
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: failure to make record

Text: A record is required by Section 11.14(d) of the Family Code unless it is waived by all parties with the consent of the court. Brown claims that without a statement of facts the record is incomplete and therefore she was deprived of her right to appeal. The Legislature expressly provided that an affidavit to an adoption agency authorized by the State Department of Public Welfare can be made irrevocable. Tex.Fam. Code Ann. § 15.03(d) (Vernon 1975). The Legislature gave these agencies the same protected status they had under Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Galveston, Inc. v. Harper, supra , which held that once a parent had surrendered custody of the children and given written consent that such agency place the children for adoption, that consent is subject to revocation only by proof of fraud, misrepresentation, overreaching or the like. Under these facts, we find it was the intent of the Legislature to make such an affidavit of relinquishment sufficient evidence on which the trial court can make a finding that termination is in the best interest of the children. The affidavit and the agency's petition is the record which supports the trial court's judgment. Where the record supports the judgment in the absence of a statement of facts, it is incumbent on the party alleging error to show that a statement of facts was necessary. In the absence of such a showing there is no error. To show the necessity of a statement of facts, it was Brown's burden to show that the irrevocable affidavit was obtained by fraud, misrepresentation or overreaching. Brown has never made any such allegation or asserted any other wrongful act. Her sole reason to set aside the Decree of Termination was because she simply changed her mind. Therefore, there was no error in failing to prepare a statement of facts.