Court Opinion

ID: 9787028
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 00:09:01.383821+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:36:51.493456
License: Public Domain

BURKE, Justice,
dissenting, with whom GOLDEN, Justice, joins.
[¶ 39] I join Justice Golden's dissent but write separately in order to focus upon the appropriate standard of review. The majority opinion fails to identify or apply any standard of review. It simply dodges the issue.1 The proper standard of review is abuse of discretion. Had the majority recognized and applied this standard, it could not have concluded that reversal was warranted.
[¶ 40] Fundamentally, our review process should be the same that we apply in child *884custody cases. In those cases, trial judges must apply statutory factors in making a custody determination that is in the best interests of the children. The same is true here. The juvenile court was required to fashion a placement decision that was in the best interests of the children, taking into account the statutorily recognized preference for family placement. That is precisely what the juvenile court did in this case and that decision should not be overturned.
[¶ 41] In determining whether there was an abuse of discretion, "our primary consideration is the reasonableness of the district court's decision in light of the evidence presented. We view the evidence in the light most favorable to the district court's determination, affording every favorable inference to the prevailing party and omitting from our consideration the conflicting evidence." Blakely v. Blakely, 2009 WY 127, ¶ 6, 218 P.3d 253, 254 (Wyo.2009).
[¶ 42] The majority did not apply that standard in its analysis. It did not evaluate the juvenile court's decision in terms of reasonableness based upon the evidence presented. It did not view the evidence in the light most favorable to the juvenile court's determination. It did not afford every favorable inference to the prevailing party and it did not omit from its consideration conflicting evidence. Instead it did just the opposite. It ignored evidence favoring the juvenile court's determination and emphasized the evidence favoring placement with relatives. It ignored the fact that those relatives, who were intervening parties below, did not appeal the decision of the juvenile court2 Although the majority takes great pains to recognize the juvenile court's "thoroughness and thoughtfulness," it inexplicably ignores all of the juvenile court's factual findings and analysis. It is the juvenile court's job to weigh the evidence, not ours. We should reverse only when there has been an abuse of discretion. There was no abuse of discretion in this case.
[¶ 43] The juvenile court determined that the best interests of the children would be served by continued placement with the foster parents. There is overwhelming evidence in the record to support that decision. The juvenile court provided a thoughtful, thorough, and convincing explanation of how it arrived at that decision. The court's "Order on Permanency Hearing" is 17 pages long. In that order the court summarizes the testimony of every witness who testified at the hearing. Those witnesses included a counselor, teachers, the foster parents and one of their children, a DFS caseworker, the expert who prepared the bonding study ordered by the court, the uncle, and the Montana Family Resource Specialist Supervisor. After summarizing the testimony and the evidence, the court discussed the applicable law and then applied it to the facts of this case. Here is what the court said:
As noted above, [Aunt and Uncle] contend that DFS's failure to conduct an ICPC [Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children] study in a timely manner, along with DFS policy favoring family or kinship placement require that permanency of [the children] be with them. This Court will first address the issues concerning DFS policies, rules and regulations.
The Wyoming Supreme Court has held that an administrative ageney is bound to follow its own rules and regulations. See MB v. Laramie County Dept. of Family Services, 983 P.2d 1126, 1130 (Wyo.1997). However, in order for such a violation to be actionable, it must be demonstrated that the violation affected a fundamental right or materially impacted the result. See In re MN, 78 P.3d 282, 289 (Wyo.2003) (any non-compliance with DFS rules and regulations was harmless and not shown to have affected mother's fundamental rights or impacted ultimate decision); see also, In re D.H., 173 P.3d 365, 368 (Wyo.2007). In this case, even assuming that the ICPC study should have been conducted more punctually, it does not materially impact the decision reached by this Court. Due to the age of {[the children] and the required reasonable efforts to reunify them with [Mother], placement of these children in Casper, Wyoming was essential. These children would not have been placed with [Aunt and Uncle] in Miles City Montana *885even had the ICPC been timely conducted. In addition, there were no other appropriate family members in Casper, Wyoming to place these children with while reunification efforts were being made. Moreover, to the extent that the DFS did not adequately consider permanency with [Aunt and Uncle] and/or allow visitation during the reunification plan, it has not materially impacted this Court's decision. In order to ensure that [Aunt and Uncle] were given full and complete consideration this Court ordered a bonding study to be conducted and a full evidentiary hearing to be held. Thus, to the extent the DFS failed to give [Aunt and Uncle] sufficient access or visitation this Court's bonding study was designed to make sure they were not prejudiced. Certainly, the case workers involved in this case could and should have done better in communicating and following up. The constant changing of the caseworkers is an ongoing source of reality and frustration for this Court. Nonetheless, these deficiencies do not materially alter this Court's findings. The [die] was cast when [Mother] began to work reunification in Casper, Wyoming, which necessitated the placement of these children with [Foster Parents].
Turning to the issue of a family preference for permanency options, [Aunt and Uncle] cite the Wyoming Supreme Court's decision in In re, Adoption of CF, 120 P.3d 992, 1002 (Wyo.2005). In CF, the Court was analyzing the mother's argument that DFS should have placed her child with grandfather rather than Foster Parents. The mother claimed that this placement with Foster Parents was "a violation of her birth family's fundamental rights to associate with family and federal law." Id. at ¶ 26. In rejecting this argument the Supreme Court noted that mother was judicially stopped from complaining about DFS's failures because she had previously objected to a placement with grandfather. In dicta the Supreme Court noted "in general, preference should be given to family placements." Id. at ¶ 26. In making this statement the Court cited federal statutes which require the State to consider giving preference to an adult relative over non-related caregiver. See 42 U.S.C. § 67li(a)(19). This being said, the only Wyoming Statute which discusses relative placement is Wyo. Stat. $ 14-3-429(b)(iM), which notes that if a child is found to be neglected the court may "{tJransfer temporary legal custody to a relative or other suitable adult the court finds qualified to receive and care for the child,...." Certainly, that does not create a vested right or entitlement to permanency in family members. The question remains what is in the best interest of these children considering all the facts and cireumstances.
Many other jurisdictions that have addressed this issue have rejected an argument that family preference is controlling. In the Matter of B.O., 177 P.3d 584, ¶ 15 (Okla.App.2008) (trial court's consideration of statutory factors in determining permanency by foster family adoption, despite existence of relative with a loving bond); In the Matter of the Adoption of Bernard A., 77 P.3d 4, 9-10 (Alaska 2008) (continuity of care by foster parents outweighed access to extended family and mother's placement preference found to carry little weight in determining which adoptive placement was in best interest of child); In re Adoption of C.D., 318 Ill. App.3d 301, 246 Ill.Dec. 180, 729 N.E.2d 553, 560 (2000) (preserving family ties between child and the child's relatives and siblings is important but only one factor to be considered). As noted by one court "the overriding concern of dependency proceedings, however, is not the interest of the extended family members but the interest of the child." In re Lauren R., 148 Cal.App.4th 841, 855, 56 Cal.Rptr.3d 151 (2007). The Court in Lawren R., went on to observe "regardless of the relative placement preference, the fundamental duty of the court is to assure the best interests of the child, whose bond with a foster parent may required (sic) that placement with a relative be rejected." Id. at 855, 56 Cal.Rptr.3d 151. That is the situation before this Court.
For the first time in their young lives [the children], due to no fault of their own, have been placed in an environment that is *886stable and nurturing. They are thriving. This placement was not made to defeat or keep family away. Rather it was necessitated in order to allow an alcoholic, drug addicted mother to attempt to reunify with her two month old son and six year old daughter. While these reunification efforts we[lre] going on, between June of 2007 and June of 2008, it was neither feasible nor realistic to place these children with [Aunt and Uncle] in Montana. Since [the children] have been placed with [Foster Parents] they have not had to witness domestic violence or excessive consumption of alcohol by their mother or anyone else. They get to count stairs and learn their ABC's in a loving and nurturing home with sisters and a brother. They have, as far as they are concerned, sisters and a brother who love and nurture them. They have, as far as they are concerned, a mother and a father who care for them and love them. In fact, the only parents that [Son] really knows are [Foster Parents]. They are family. [Daughter] is thriving in school and has now caught up to her grade level. She has been able to return to being a child because of the comfort and consistency of her placement. Is a family preference more important than maintaining this environment? This Court, based upon the evidence presented, does not believe so.
As Ms. England aptly noted, does the desirability of keeping these children connected to their family of origin outweigh the potential negative effects of requiring them to give up these bonds to form new ones with [Aunt and Uncle]. The Court concludes that the evidence establishes it does not. All things are not equal. As noted by Ms. Parrish the loss would be significant. While they might overcome this loss, the question remains, why should they have to endure it and be exposed to yet further trauma and loss? Why should that risk be taken? In this case the Court finds that the best interests of [the children] are best pursued by permanency through adoption by [Foster Parents]. Any family preference is outweighed by the bond and relationships [the children] have formed with [Foster Parents]) and even this community. The loss [the children] would suffer if permanency was pursued through placement with [Aunt and Uncle] is not merited. This is not to say [Aunt and Uncle] are not good, sincere people. They are. However, the focus of this issue is on [the children] and their best interests. The Court finds that those best interests are served through a permanency plan of adoption by [Foster Parents].
[¶ 44] I can find no fault with the juvenile court's analysis. There clearly was no abuse of discretion. The children are flourishing in their current environment. There is no legal or factual justification for this further disruption of their lives. The decision should be affirmed.

. According to the majority: "It is difficult to pinpoint the standard of review that should be applied here because we have a convergence of several issues of constitutional magnitude, as well as clear expressions of legislative intent."

. The only appealing party is a mother whose parental rights will be, or have been, terminated.