Opinion ID: 1862500
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Erroneous Procedure

Text: As the majority notes, there was confusion about how to proceed with the termination and best interests hearings. The probate court determined in advance that it would proceed with the termination hearing and later separately consider the best interests evidence. I agree that the probate court understandably relied on the erroneous statutory interpretation provided in In re Hall-Smith, 222 Mich.App. 470, 564 N.W.2d 156 (1997). As explained by the majority, that case placed a rebuttable presumption on the respondent to go forward with evidence that termination is clearly not in the child's best interests. This procedure may have led both parties to wait to produce evidence until the best interests hearing. [1] This would explain the petitioner's decision to provide only one witness in support of its petition to terminate parental rights, and would explain the respondent's failure to produce any witnesses or evidence at the termination stage. At the best interests hearing, however, both parties produced several witnesses in attempts to persuade the court. This error is significant in that the court must find, at the termination stage, clear and convincing evidence that the statutory grounds for termination have been proven by the petitioner. We determined today that the best interests determination merely provides the court with an opportunity to find that termination is clearly not in the child's best interests. Op. at 414. In this context, review of the probate court's determination to terminate should be based only on facts relied upon by the court in finding that statutory grounds for termination were proven. I would hold that the facts provided by the single witness' testimony were plainly insufficient and, thus, the court's findings were clearly erroneous. Although this error might have been prevented by considering all evidence produced by both parties, the court, in ruling that it would hear best interest evidence at a later time, relied on insufficient evidence.
Our Legislature has provided a statutory list of grounds for termination. The probate court held that petitioner had proven M.C.L. § 712A.19b(3)(c)(i) and (g); MSA 27.3178 (598.19b)(3)(c)(i) and (g), by clear and convincing evidence. MCL 712A.19b(3)(c)(i); MSA 27.3178(598.19b)(3)(c)(i) provides: The parent was a respondent in a proceeding brought under this chapter, 182 or more days have elapsed since the issuance of an initial dispositional order, and the court, by clear and convincing evidence, finds either of the following: (i) The conditions that led to the adjudication continue to exist and there is no reasonable likelihood that the conditions will be rectified within a reasonable time considering the child's age. In order to make its determination under this subsection, the court heard testimony of the family case worker, Kelly Parkinson. The court found that there were only two conditions that led to the original adjudication, and they involved housing and they involved [the] mother's choice or her desire as to whether or not she wanted the children in her custody. On the basis of Ms. Parkinson's testimony, the court found that respondent had five addresses, therefore one of the two conditions continued to exist. The court also found that because respondent had been fairly compliant with much of the parent-agency agreement, it was convinced that the second condition no longer existed. [2] Ms. Parkinson provided the only testimony regarding respondent's housing situation. The testimony reveals that there was scant support for the ultimate findings made by the court on this issue. On direct examination, Ms. Parkinson testified that she thought a list of housing options had been given to respondent and that she was seeking housing. She testified that respondent was living with a friend and then moved into a house that respondent reported was suitable for the children. Ms. Parkinson testified that she was going to make a visit, but that respondent moved before that happened. When asked the number of different addresses respondent had provided, Ms. Parkinson responded: A. Several. I would say at least five different addresses. Q. Did she ever give you any excuses why she couldn't come up with a suitable housing arrangement? A. Never a viable excuse. I would assume it was financial. This was the extent of the direct examination on the housing issue. On cross-examination she was not clear, and did not know, whether respondent had been given housing referrals. Ms. Parkinson was asked to verify the length of time respondent had been at her current address, and Ms. Parkinson was again unclear. She had never visited the current apartment and had not determined whether it was appropriate. She did not know whether respondent was on a waiting list for a two-bedroom apartment, and had not verified any information regarding respondent's living arrangements or plans. At the conclusion of direct and cross-examination, the court examined the witness. Interestingly, in over twenty-four pages of examination, the court never once inquired into the housing issue. The court's conclusory findings on this issue are demonstrative of the short shrift given to this issue: As to the housing issue, in this Court's opinion, that still is not resolved.... Now, she has not been able to do that in the approximately one-year's time between the placement of the children and the filing of this Petition, and in fact, the testimony has been that she has had five addresses during that time and none of those addresses were suitable for the care of the children.[ [3] ] [T]his Court is satisfied that there is clear and convincing evidence to support 19b(c)(i); that that condition leading to that original adjudication continues to exist. The court was required to determine whether the conditions that led to the initial order continued to exist, and that there was no reasonable likelihood that conditions would be rectified within a reasonable time considering the age of the children. Without information regarding suitability of respondent's current housing situation, or respondent's plan for housing, the court was not provided with clear and convincing evidence that the housing conditions were unsuitable and, if so, would not be rectified within a reasonable time. The majority describes Ms. Parkinson's testimony as undisputed and revealing that respondent acknowledged her housing was unsuitable. It also provides that respondent was merely on a waiting list for a two-bedroom house on the date of termination. The majority relies on Ms. Parkinson's statement that respondent indicated that the apartment was unsuitable for all three children. Ms. Parkinson did not say when this was indicated or to whom. A full reading provides that Ms. Parkinson was unsure of respondent's housing situation on the day of the termination hearing. She had not verified her current address or situation. Moreover, the majority is relying on respondent's attorney's cross-examination question of Ms. Parkinson as evidence that respondent held merely a place on a waiting list for a two-bedroom apartment on the date of the termination.... Op at 416. Reliance on an attorney's questions of a witness as evidence reflects the meager support in the record. What is clear is that the court had insufficient evidence regarding respondent's current and prospective housing situation at this stage of the proceedings.
While rejecting grounds argued by petitioner based on the behavior of the children, the court agreed that a second statutory ground for termination had been proven. MCL 27A.19b(3)(g); MSA 27.3178(598.19b)(3)(g) provides: The parent, without regard to intent, fails to provide proper care or custody for the child and there is no reasonable expectation that the parent will be able to provide proper care and custody within a reasonable time considering the child's age. To prove this ground, petitioner provided the parent-agency agreement listing eight requirements and argued that respondent had not complied. The court found, however, that respondent had failed to comply with only two of the eight. First, the court reiterated that housing was inadequate despite the statement that the mother has recently obtained housing, that she is renting from a friend. [4] Second, the court reviewed respondent's therapy progress and concluded that the result was that there has not been a provision of proper care or custody because of the lack of progress here. This vague explanation makes it difficult to discern whether the court was referring to housing, a formal plan, or that slow progress in therapy caused her to be unable to provide proper care. The court's statement immediately following the conclusion regarding respondent referred to the father's lack of appropriate housing. The majority resorted to reviewing testimony provided at a later hearing to conclude that the court did not clearly err in this conclusion. Op. at 417, n. 16. Even if I were to accept the fact that respondent's therapy progress was slow, this is but one of eight goals listed in the parent-agency agreement. Subsection 19b(3)(g) does not require that every goal listed in the parent-agency agreement be complied with in order to spare the parent from termination of rights. In fact, no reference is made in the statute regarding these agreements. Instead, as explained by the majority, the parent-agency agreement is a service plan that provides guidance to the agency, the parent, and the court. It provides both services to be provided, and expectations of the parent. Op. at 410, n. 3. It is not a list of binding requirements that necessarily leads to termination under subsection 19b(3)(g), if there is noncompliance with one or two. [5] Because the housing goal lacks evidence to support respondent's violation, and because the therapy issue is extremely vague, I would hold that the court clearly erred in finding clear and convincing evidence that grounds under subsection 19b(3)(g) were proven.