Opinion ID: 2167768
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Heading: Does Iowa Code section 232.58(3)(c) violate the separation of powers doctrine or constitute an illegal delegation of authority?

Text: The county attorney also contends the statutory language stating a court shall direct the institution of termination proceedings is unconstitutional. Specifically, the county attorney argues this statute is a violation of the separation of powers clause of the Iowa Constitution and an unconstitutional delegation of authority to the judicial branch. Statutes are presumed constitutional and the challenger must show, beyond a reasonable doubt, the statute is unconstitutional and must negate every reasonable basis to support the statute. Johnston v. Veterans' Plaza Auth., 535 N.W.2d 131, 132 (Iowa 1995). The court has powers conferred on it both by the constitution and by statute. The court also possesses broad powers to do whatever is reasonably necessary to discharge [its] traditional responsibilities. State v. Hoegh, 632 N.W.2d 885, 888 (Iowa 2001) (citing Webster County Bd. of Supervisors v. Flattery, 268 N.W.2d 869, 874 (Iowa 1978)). This authority is known as inherent power, and it is derived from the separation of powers between the three branches of government, as well as limited by it. Id. The separation of powers clause of our state constitution provides: The powers of the government of Iowa shall be divided into three departmentsthe legislative, the executive, and the judicial: and no person charged with the exercise of powers properly belonging to one of these departments shall exercise any function appertaining to either of the others .... Iowa Const. art. III, § 1. This doctrine is designed to prevent the encroachment and aggrandizement of one branch at the expense of another. Channon v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., 629 N.W.2d 835, 854 (Iowa 2001). It requires that a branch [of government] not impair another in the performance of its constitutional duties. State v. Phillips, 610 N.W.2d 840, 842 (Iowa 2000) ( citing Loving v. United States, 517 U.S. 748, 757, 116 S.Ct. 1737, 1743, 135 L.Ed.2d 36, 49 (1996)). However, [t]he three branches of government... need not `be entirely separate and distinct.' Channon, 629 N.W.2d at 854 (quoting Mistretta v. United States, 488 U.S. 361, 380, 109 S.Ct. 647, 659, 102 L.Ed.2d 714, 736 (1989)). Although a state constitution may define three separate branches of power, there is generally no attempt to compartmentalize them, and perhaps, in truth, there can be no absolute and complete separation of all the powers of practical government. The powers of one department of government have always depended on or have been aided in some way by those of another. Moreover, there is sometimes an overlapping or blending of powers of separate departments. Klouda v. Sixth Judicial Dist. Dep't of Corr. Servs., 642 N.W.2d 255, 261 (Iowa 2002) (quoting 16A Am.Jur.2d Constitutional Law § 249, at 152 (1998)). The three branches of government have a degree of overlapping responsibility, a duty of interdependence as well as independence the absence of which `would preclude the establishment of a Nation capable of governing itself effectively.' Id. (quoting Mistretta, 488 U.S. at 381, 109 S.Ct. at 660, 102 L.Ed.2d at 736). We join the other jurisdictions that have rejected an attempt to narrowly and rigidly compartmentalize the exercise of executive and judicial powers with respect to juvenile proceedings. See In re D.S., 198 Ill.2d 309, 261 Ill.Dec. 281, 763 N.E.2d 251, 258-60 (2001). Bearing in mind the separation of powers doctrine has no rigid boundaries, we now turn to the constitutionality of Iowa Code section 232.58(3)( c ). See Klouda, 642 N.W.2d at 260 (citing People v. P.H., 145 Ill.2d 209, 164 Ill.Dec. 137, 582 N.E.2d 700, 706 (1991)). The juvenile justice system is one area in which we see a sharing of powers between the executive and judicial branches. It is true the county attorney is charged with the responsibility of promoting the best interests of the child. However, under the doctrine of parens patriae, the juvenile court has a concomitant obligation to act in the best interests of the child and to take such action quickly. This obligation is also imposed upon the juvenile court by statute. Iowa Code § 232.116(2). In discharging the court's obligation, it clearly has inherent power to order the county attorney to file a termination petition. In re Interest of C.G., 444 N.W.2d 518, 520-21 (Iowa Ct.App.1989); accord In re Interest of J.R.T., 427 So.2d 251 (Fla.Ct.App.1983) (inherent in the court's obligation to protect the welfare of a minor child is the authority to direct the filing of petition for severance of parental rights); In re D.S., 261 Ill.Dec. 281, 763 N.E.2d at 251 (court's statutory duty to effectuate the best interests of a child may be satisfied by directing the state to prosecute a termination petition and such authority does not violate separation of powers); Phelps v. Sybinsky, 736 N.E.2d 809 (Ind.Ct.App.2000) (in the interest of promoting a child's welfare, the court has authority to direct county attorney to initiate termination proceedings and this authority does not violate separation of powers); In re Interest of D.G.C., 690 So.2d 237 (La. 1997) (court has authority to order the state, the district attorney or DHS, depending upon the circumstances, to institute termination proceedings); In re Interest of V.R., 725 So.2d 241 (Miss. 1998) (the court retains power to direct DHS to initiate termination proceedings regardless of the parents' compliance with the court's requirements); In re G.S., 731 S.W.2d 525 (Mo.Ct.App. 1987) (court has statutory authority to order a juvenile officer to file a petition to terminate parental rights). The court's powers under the juvenile justice statutes are designed to effectuate the best interests of the child which may not necessarily be the same as what the parties are advocating. Some acts can be properly entrusted to more than one branch of government. Hoegh, 632 N.W.2d at 889. The purpose behind delegating authority to both the court and the county attorney to promote a child's best interests is clear. A juvenile court's objective to look after the child's welfare would be compromised if the court did not have the power to direct the county attorney to file a termination petition. Under certain circumstances, the juvenile court can promote the interests of the child only if it is authorized to order the county attorneyeven if against the attorney's wishesto initiate termination proceedings. See In re D.S., 261 Ill.Dec. 281, 763 N.E.2d at 261-62; In re Interest of T.T., 427 So.2d at 1384. Because both the county attorney and the juvenile court are entrusted to act in the best interests of the child, the court's action in this capacity does not conflict with the duties of the executive branch. Id. The crucial days of childhood cannot be suspended while parents experiment with ways to face up to their own problems. In re A.C., 415 N.W.2d 609, 613 (Iowa 1987). Children should not be made to suffer indefinitely in parentless limbo. Id. Where appropriate, the juvenile court has authority to prevent exactly this situation by directing the county attorney to initiate termination proceedings. To hold only the county attorney can decide which facts and circumstances justify the filing of a petition to terminate parental rights would be an ultimate frustration and restriction on the juvenile court's duty to promote the best interests of a child. See In re Interest of J.R.T., 427 So.2d at 253. In sum, pursuant to Iowa Code section 232.58(3)( c ), the juvenile court has authority to direct the county attorney to initiate termination proceedings. In the interests of a child, the doctrine of separation of powers is not violated because separate spheres of governmental authority may overlap. See In re D.S., 261 Ill.Dec. 281, 763 N.E.2d at 258. This does no violence to our state constitution because the statute does not effectively allow the judicial branch to encroach upon or aggrandize itself at the expense of the executive branch. See Channon, 629 N.W.2d at 854. Rather, the statute is constitutionally designed to allow the judicial and executive branches to share the same responsibility thereby ensuring the best interests of a child.