Court Opinion

ID: 9682466
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 08:11:40.239886+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:39.486165
License: Public Domain

EARL W. SMITH, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent for the following reasons. Under Tex.Fam.Code Ann. §§ 15.02(1)(F) and 15.02(2) (Supp.1985), the appellees were required to prove two facts in order for the court to terminate the parent-child relationship in this case. Both such facts must have been proven by “clear and convincing evidence.” Santosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745, 102 S.Ct. 1388, 1394, 71 L.Ed.2d 599 (1982). The two facts which must have been proven were: (1) that the father had failed to support the child in accordance with his ability for one year, which year ended within six months of the filing of the petition to terminate the father’s parental rights; and (2) that termination of the parent-child relationship was in the best interest of the child. On appeal, the appellant raises “no evidence” and “substantial evidence” points as to both of these elements. In considering “no evidence” points, appellate courts must review the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, considering only evidence and inferences which support findings of the trial court and rejecting evidence and inferences contrary to such findings. McGowen v. State, 558 S.W.2d 561, 564 (Tex.Civ.App.1977, writ ref’d n.r.e.). In considering “insufficient evidence” points, appellate courts must review all of the evidence, and may set the verdict aside only if it is so contrary to the overwhelming weight of all the evidence as to be clearly wrong or manifestly unjust. Id.
As to the first element which the appel-lees had to prove, the evidence reflects that from October 1981 until January 1983, the appellant made no child support payments *611even though he had been ordered by the court to pay $100 per month in child support. The petition in this case was filed on February 4, 1983, less than six months after January 1983. As to appellant’s ability to make payments between October 1981 and January 1983, there exists a split in authority concerning whether there must be proof of appellant’s ability to make support payments each of the twelve months of the relevant year. Craddock v. Worley, 601 S.W.2d 445, 446 (Tex.Civ.App.1980, no writ) holds "... the ability to pay support must exist each month during the twelvemonth period.” See also, Brokenleg v. Butts, 559 S.W.2d 853 (Tex.Civ.App.1977, writ ref’d n.r.e.), cert. denied, 442 U.S. 946, 99 S.Ct. 2894, 61 L.Ed.2d 318 (1979), which is in agreement with Craddock. McGowen holds, however, “Inability to provide support during some months will not interrupt the running of the one year period if no effort is made to pay support during other months in which there is a clear ability to pay.” McGowen v. State, supra, at 565. See also, In the Interest of S.K.S., 648 S.W.2d 402 (Tex.App.1983, no writ), which follows McGowen.
This split in authority is important in the present case because the record demonstrates that although the appellant had quite limited funds during some months, he probably could have afforded some payments during other months of the relevant year. Documents from the IRS showed that in 1981 the appellant’s income was $6,194, and in 1982 it was $4,239. Though the evidence concerning appellant’s income was somewhat confusing, the record shows that during 1982 he paid no support although he worked in the oil field for 4 months, drew unemployment about 4 months (“I drawed $1,850. A hundred and something dollars a week”), earned $250 one day in April, and earned about $220 per week during the last two months of the year. Moreover, the evidence demonstrated that the appellant had few expenses because his father had given him a truck, and the appellant was purchasing his house with five acres of land from his father, who, according to the appellant, “[D]on’t press me for [the $200 per month payments].” Further, the appellant’s wife, whom he married in February 1983, testified that she had been living with appellant since February 1982, and that she helped pay their bills with her earnings of over $1,000 per month.
Thus, the record appears to contain “clear and convincing evidence” that the appellant did not support the child according to his ability for some months during the relevant one year period. McGowen should be followed by this Court. I would hold that the trial court’s determination that appellant failed to support the child for one year should be affirmed. Any excuses which the appellant had for his failure to support the child according to his ability must be considered in relation to the second element which appellees must also prove (i.e., that termination is in the child’s best interest). Holley v. Adams, 544 S.W.2d 367 (Tex.1976).
Holley, supra, lists some considerations to use in deciding whether the second element which the appellees had to prove— that termination of the parent-child relationship was in the best interest of the child — was proven in this case. The considerations set out in Holley are: (A) the desires of the child; (B) the emotional and physical needs of the child; (C) the emotional and physical danger to the child; (D) the parental abilities of the persons seeking custody; (E) the programs available to promote the best interest of the child; (F) the plans for the child by those individuals or the agency seeking custody; (G) the stability of the future home; (H) acts or omissions of the parent which may indicate that the existing parent-child relationship is not a proper one; and (I) excuses for acts or omissions of the parent.
The evidence in this case as it relates to the considerations in Holley shows: (A) Although the child did not testify, the child’s mother and stepfather testified that the child wanted to have the same name as her mother and stepfather. The child’s schoolteacher also testified that the child calls her stepfather, “Dad,” and that she likes to be with her stepfather and is very proud of him; (B) The child’s mother, step*612father, and teacher, a neighbor, a family-friend, and the social worker who evaluated the case all testified that the child was emotionally stable and well-adjusted, and that she appeared to be completely satisfied in her mother’s and stepfather’s home. On the other hand, the mother and stepfather testified that the father rarely contacted or visited the child, and that his sporadic contacts with the child confused and worried the child (e.g., The mother testified that when the father did not call or send a gift on the child’s fifth birthday, the child told her mother that “she bet her Daddy still thought she was four years old.”). Furthermore, all the evidence indicated that the mother and stepfather would be capable of caring for the physical and emotional needs of the child. The father, on the other hand, had a long history of severe financial difficulties and of apparent neglect of the emotional and physical needs of the child; (C) Though there was no evidence indicating that the child had been in any physical danger, there was considerable testimony that the father’s rare and sporadic contacts with the child caused her emotional grief; (D) While the evidence clearly showed that the mother and stepfather were concerned and capable parents, most of the evidence depicted the father as being either uncaring or unattentive to the needs of the child. The father’s new wife did testify, however, that the father had a “special relationship” with his daughter; (E) The evidence showed that the child performed above average in her school subjects and that the mother and stepfather were helpful with her schoolwork and activities; (F) If the parent-child relationship were terminated, the stepfather planned to adopt the child, and he felt that this would make his good relationship with the child even better; (G) The mother’s and stepfather’s home appeared from the record to be highly stable and was described as “middle class” by the social worker; (H) The evidence that the father rarely made contact with his daughter (the mother testified that he did not visit the child for 10 months before they moved to Texas and did not call or visit for 17 months after they moved), that he sent little or no money or gifts to help with her support (the mother testified that the father failed to send Christmas and birthday gifts), that the child was worried and confused about who her father was and why her father’s contacts were so rare and sporadic, and that the father was disappointed when the child was born because he wanted a son instead of a daughter indicates that something was wrong with the existing parent-child relationship; (I) The father’s excuses for his conduct were that he was broke because he was injured on his job, and so he could not send money for the child’s support; that he felt the child did not need his money because the mother had told him that they were doing well financially; that he did visit with his child whenever his parents kept her and did send her presents; that he thought that he could not contact the child when he was behind in his support payments; and that he could not afford to visit the child after the mother remarried and moved to Texas. As discussed above, however, the father could probably have afforded some support payments, and there was testimony that the father did not visit even before the mother and child moved. Moreover, the trial court was not required to accept the truth or accuracy of the father’s testimony. Smith v. McLin, 632 S.W.2d 390 (Tex.App.1982, writ ref’d n.r.e.).
After hearing this evidence, the trial court determined that termination of the parent-child relationship would be in the best interest of the child. Although appellate courts have more discretion under the clear and convincing evidence test in termination cases, the decision of the trial court should not be disturbed in such cases unless it appears from the record that there was an abuse of discretion. Taylor v. Meek, 276 S.W.2d 787, 790 (Tex.1955); Heilman v. Kincy, 632 S.W.2d 216 (Tex.App.1982, no writ); In the Interest of R.D.P., 526 S.W.2d 135 (Tex.Civ.App.1975, no writ).
The appellant relies heavily on Holley, supra, in asserting that this case should be reversed. Unlike Holley, however, where*613in the Court found that there was no evidence that termination would be in the best interest of the child, in this case, the trial court heard an abundance of evidence indicating that the child’s best interest would be served by termination of the parent-child relationship. Under the circumstances of this case, it does not appear that the trial court abused its discretion in terminating the parent-child relationship. Thus, the judgment of the trial court that termination of the parent-child relationship was in the child’s best interest should be affirmed.