Opinion ID: 2637672
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Social Study

Text: [¶ 9] Father's first issue centers around Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-2-314 (LexisNexis 2005) which states: Upon the filing of a petition by anyone other than an authorized agency as defined by W.S. 14-2-308(a)(ii)(A), the court shall direct that a social study be made by the appropriate county office of public assistance and social services or by any authorized agency to aid the court in making a final disposition of the petition. The social study shall state the factual information pertaining to the allegations in the petition, the social history and the present situation and environment of the child and parent. The social study shall not be excluded as evidence by reason of hearsay alone. The social study shall be made available to any party to the action upon request. Father contends that the district court did not comply with the statute. His complaint is threefold. First, he contends that the district court erred in failing to order the social study when the petition for termination was filed. Second, he claims that the district court erred in terminating his parental rights before receiving a completed social study. Finally, he asserts that the social study was inadequate because it did not contain sufficient information regarding Father's present situation. [¶ 10] The facts relating to the social study are not in dispute. The social study was not ordered when the petition for termination was filed. The district court and the parties were aware of that oversight prior to the commencement of trial. Father, through counsel, suggested that the trial proceed without the social study. The court accepted Father's suggestion and ordered the social study after trial. Prior to receiving a completed social study, the court, by decision letter, notified counsel of its intention to terminate Father's parental rights. In footnote two of the decision letter, the court stated: The Court has not received a completed social study at this point. However, keeping in mind that [Father] is incarcerated by the Wyoming Department of Corrections and that [Mother] has raised [WDW] and his brother for their entire lives and has worked at the Carbon County Child Development Center for several years, the Court believes that the information contained in a completed social study will only be cumulative of the evidence presented at trial. The Court seeks to end the delay in issuing its opinion caused by waiting on the social study. Therefore, the Court issues its opinion here realizing that the statute mandates the social study, but finding its absence to be harmless. [¶ 11] The social study was filed with the court on January 15, 2009. More than a month later, on February 20, 2009, the district court entered its Order Terminating Parental Rights. We will first address Father's claim of error relating to the timing of the social study. [¶ 12] The statutory language is mandatory and the social study should have been ordered when the petition was filed. Father, however, intentionally and knowingly waived any objection to the lack of timely compliance. [1] It was Father's counsel who asked the court to proceed with trial: THE COURT: But in any event, we apparently all agree that preparation of a social study is mandatory under 14-2-314, and it has not been done in this case. Is that correct? [PETITIONER'S COUNSEL]: That's correct, Your Honor. [GUARDIAN AD LITEM]: Yes, Your Honor. [RESPONDENT'S COUNSEL]: And, Your Honor, ... the statute requires both the appointment of a guardian ad litem and a social study ... I would propose that we take evidence today, and if the Court feels it is necessary to [order] a social study for further proceedings that it reserve its judgment. THE COURT: And that is what we will do. [RESPONDENT'S COUNSEL]: Beyond that, I don't have any further comment. [¶ 13] Father's contention that his parental rights were terminated prior to the filing of the social study is not correct. Father's rights were terminated on February 20, 2009 when the district court entered the Order Terminating Parental Rights. The social study was filed on January 15, 2009. Although the decision letter was filed prior to receipt of the social study, the decision letter did not terminate Father's parental rights. A court's decision letter or opinion letter, made or entered in writing, is not a judgment. W.R.C.P. 54(a); see also Broadhead v. Broadhead, 737 P.2d 731, 733 (Wyo.1987). [¶ 14] We cannot ascertain from the record whether the district court reviewed the social study prior to entry of the termination order. It is possible that the court reviewed the social study and concluded that it supported the termination decision. It is also possible that the district court entered the termination order without reviewing the social study. Under either scenario, Father has failed to establish prejudicial error. To establish prejudicial error, Father must show that the outcome of his trial would have been more favorable had the error not occurred. RK v. State ex rel. Natrona County Child Support Enforcement Dep't, 2008 WY 1, ¶ 18, 174 P.3d 166, 171 (Wyo.2008). [¶ 15] Father complains that the social study was inadequate because he was never personally interviewed, and the study does not talk about [Father]'s present situation or what efforts he has made to improve his present situation since being incarcerated. Father's statement is accurate. Critically, however, he fails to identify any information that should have been included in the social study that was not presented to the district court during trial. [¶ 16] Father was present at trial. He testified regarding his social history, current situation, and self-improvement efforts. He admitted that he had never met WDW and testified as to efforts he had made to establish contact. He conceded that he is currently in prison and that additional felony charges are pending against him. He admitted to past problems with drug and alcohol abuse but testified regarding his current sobriety. He advised the court that he is attending Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous meetings, as well as Thinking for a Change in order to be able to maintain sobriety when he is released from prison. He told the court that he is providing GED tutoring to other inmates. In short, he fully apprised the court of his social history, his relationship with WDW, and his current situation. The district court opted to issue its decision letter without the benefit of the social study in order to avoid further delay and because the court was convinced that information contained in the social study would merely be cumulative of the evidence presented at trial. Having reviewed the social study, we conclude that the district court was correct. The information in the social study was cumulative and nothing in the study contradicted the trial evidence. Father has failed to establish prejudicial error.