Court Opinion

ID: 7396006
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-07-29 01:16:10.458638+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:21:48.129200
License: Public Domain

LEVINSON, Judge concurring in part and dissenting in part.
I concur in the majority opinion except insofar as it requires the trial court to amend its order. Here, the trial court made the following relevant conclusion of law:
That by clear, cogent and convincing evidence, the minor child, M.J.W., is an abused child pursuant to N.C. Gen.Stat. § 7B-101(1) in that the minor child has been the victim of physical abuse by [mother], and that [mother] and respondent father inflicted or allowed to [be] inflicted upon the minor child a serious physical injury by other than accidental means. That the minor child is a neglected child pursuant to N.C. Gen.Stat. § 7B-101(15) in that the minor child did not receive proper care or supervision from [mother] and the respondent father, and that the minor child lives in an environment injurious to her welfare when living with [mother] and the respondent father.
The language of this paragraph appropriately concludes that M.J.W. had obtained the status of an abused and neglected juvenile. Moreover, the evidence and the findings of fact support the statements that the child had "been the victim of physical abuse by mother" and that "[mother] and respondent father inflicted or allowed to [be] inflicted upon the minor child a serious physical injury *822by other than accidental means." No corrections to the order are necessary.
As the parties discuss in their respective briefs, this Court recently published an opinion concerning the adjudication of juveniles' "status" as abused, neglected and/or dependent. In re J.A.G., 172 N.C.App. 708, 617 S.E.2d 325 (2005) (Levinson, J. concurring)(quoting and applying In re Montgomery, 311 N.C. 101, 316 S.E.2d 246 (1984)). It is nonsensical for trial courts to adjudicate abuse, neglect and/or dependency "as to" certain parents or caretakers. Moreover, as the current order on appeal illustrates, it is unhelpful and confusing for our trial courts to make explicit conclusions of law that a child is abused, neglected and/or dependent "because" named person(s) committed certain acts.
It is the favored practice for trial courts' findings of fact to set forth what certain persons did or did not do. This will suggest the relative culpability of the parents and/or caretakers that can help guide disposition decisions. At the same time, these findings of fact may be useful should one or more of the parties wish to assert collateral estoppel in subsequent hearings. Conclusions of law that a juvenile is abused, neglected and/or dependent need only track the statutory definitions themselves.
The brief for DSS counsel suggests an erroneous assumption that the trial court's conclusions of neglect and abuse are tied to persons other than the juvenile herself. In other words, DSS assumes that a juvenile can, for example, be "abused as to mother" but not "abused as to father." Or that a juvenile can be "neglected as to mother" but not "neglected as to father." The trial court's comments in open court concerning the court order suggest the trial court itself was concerned with whether the juvenile(s) would be abused and/or neglected "as to" one or both of the parents:
I wanted to clarify the adjudication. We were getting close to the end of the day and I'm not sure I made myself clear. [Mother], there is abuse and neglect conclusively shown as a caretaker of these children - I make specific findings that she was a caretaker of these children - by clear and convincing evidence. With regard to the respondent/father, I find neglect on his part - against both of the children for leaving the children with a caretaker that he knew had a history of domestic violence, of throwing things, and the fact that he actually felt it necessary to try to get her committed for mental illness, and the magistrate did not feel it was appropriate at that time. The significant thing is that the respondent/father felt that an issue existed. And he neglected his - he was caretaker of the child on this week-on, week-off custody arrangement with the respondent/mother, and he was neglectful for leaving the children with her, knowing her propensity for violence. As a custodial parent, he was responsible for providing a safe environment for both of his children.
I would affirm the order in all respects.