Court Opinion

ID: 9752579
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 18:15:59.699258+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:27:17.549227
License: Public Domain

TAMILIA, Judge,
concurring and dissenting:
I concur in the result which affirms the appeal denying visitation by the parents as the trial court made a proper determination based on the evidence that continued visitation would be harmful to the children and therefore would be contrary to their best interest. Having made a finding that termination of parental rights was in order, rights of visitation would thereby be terminated — independently of the trial court’s finding on the harmful effect of visitation. See Adoption of Harvey, 375 Pa. 1, 99 A.2d 276 (1953) (parents lose all right to possession and custody after termination proceedings).
I respectfully dissent to the majority’s analysis of section 2511 of the termination section as it relates to the concept of best interest, as being misleading and incorporating tangential concepts not intended by the Adoption Code.
The majority states at page 7 that best interest of the child does not become a consideration in a termination proceeding during the initial inquiry and that this case does not speak to that issue. It points to several cases for that conclusion and in attempting to do so, severely limits the meaning of those cases and the role of best interest which in reality, for purposes of termination proceedings, has inherent validity.
The majority is correct in stating that a best interest analysis as between two parents, is a weighing (“balancing” in the majority) process of the relative virtues of *482the two homes in question.1 It does not fulfill the same function in a termination proceeding and, as such, is not an element in the initial determination that must be made by the trial court in such a proceeding. Where the majority goes astray is in attempting to strike distinctions between a child custody action and a termination proceeding when in fact this does not sharpen the analysis, referring to In Re Schwab’s Adoption, 355 Pa. 534, 50 A.2d 504 (1947), and In re Adoption of McAhren, 460 Pa. 63, 331 A.2d 419 (1975), “in the absence of sufficient evidence to satisfy the statutory requirements for involuntary termination, the question of the best interest of the child never arises.” Id., 460 Pa. at 70, 331 A.2d at 422. Unquestionably this is a correct statement of the law, but it does not mean that the issue of what is in the child’s best interest is forever foreclosed. This position is not unique to adoption or termination proceedings. It is also expressed statutorily and in case law in juvenile dependency proceedings. The Juvenile Act, 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 6341 Adjudication, (a) requires that court must find from clear and convincing evidence that the child is dependent before it can proceed; (c) to determine the disposition of that child. In Helsel v. Blair County Children and Youth Services, 359 Pa.Super. 487, 519 A.2d 456 (1986), we held that a determination of dependency is a prerequisite to disposition on custody issues in a dependency proceeding. Best interest does not become a concern until dependency is established by clear and convincing evidence. Id. Similarly, best interest or the child’s welfare does not become a concern until there is sufficient evidence which is clear and convincing that the legal standard for termination has been met. This concept is carved into the law involving state intervention into families because the legislature in*483tended to prevent well meaning judges and social agencies from removing children from poor homes or marginal situations and placing them with the wealthy or in better environmental surroundings. In the Interest of LaRue, 244 Pa.Super. 218, 366 Pa.Super. 1271 (1976); Stapleton v. Dauphin County Child Care Service, 228 Pa.Super. 371, 324 A.2d 562 (1974); Rinker Appeal, 180 Pa.Super. 143, 117 A.2d 780 (1955). Consideration of best interest is postponed, if considered at all, until the state carries its burden of establishing by the high degree of proof of clear and convincing evidence that the child is dependent. Then it may, in fact must, consider what is in the best interest of the child.
Similarly, the involuntary termination proceedings, historically and pursuant to the most recent statute under review here, require the state to carry its very heavy burden of proving that the legal requirements of termination have been met. Termination of parental rights is the death sentence to a parent-child relationship. Section 2511, Grounds for involuntary termination, a(l), (2), (3), (4), (5) provides explicit legal tests and conditions which must be established before termination of parental rights may be decreed. Section (a), General rule, states: “The rights of a parent in regard to a child may be terminated after a petition filed on any of the following grounds.” (Emphasis added.)
This does not mean that although the findings are legally conclusive, termination must be decreed. Subsection (b) Other considerations, provides: “The court in terminating the rights of a parent shall give primary consideration to the needs and welfare of the child. The rights of a parent shall not be terminated solely on the basis of environmental factors such as inadequate housing, furnishings, income, clothing and medical care if found to be beyond the control of the parent.” (Emphasis added.)
Subsection (b) is a clear legislative mandate to undertake further inquiry. This absolutely does not rule out an inquiry as to the best interest of the child. The legislative *484intent is clear — once the evidence for termination has been established, the court may then consider disposition. In stating primary consideration is given to the needs and welfare of the child, the legislature did not create a new dispositional test or standard which required a search for the meaning of “needs and welfare ”. It simply meant that in the fact finding or adjudicatory phase, the interests of the child and his parents are presumed to be identical, that is they should be considered together as a family entity, and the state must establish this presumption has been overcome by clear and convincing evidence of parental unfitness. Once the state has established the parent is unfit by proof of any of the five categories established by section 2511, it then may receive the benefit provided by subsection (b) and no longer give equal weight to the parent’s rights but rather focus entirely on the child. The majority, in its analysis and relying on Adoption of R.I., 468 Pa. 287, 361 A.2d 294 (1976), in its discussion on “need and welfare”, struggles to come up with a new standard that is different from best interest.2 The error is derived from focusing on the term “needs and welfare” and failing to consider the larger phrase, “shall give primary consideration to the needs and welfare of the child." Viewed in this manner, the meaning is clear that the judge is free to consider primarily what is in the child’s best interest (needs and welfare) as opposed to any consideration for the parent’s rights or interest. In both Smith v. Organization of Foster Families, 431 U.S. 816, 97 S.Ct. 2094, 53 L.Ed.2d 14 (1977), and Sahtosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745, 102 S.Ct. 1388, 71 L.Ed.2d 599 (1982), the United States Supreme Court determined the state may not terminate a parent’s right to custody without showing parental unfitness and for the sole reason that to do so was in the children’s best interest. See also Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645, 92 S.Ct. *4851208, 31 L.Ed.2d 551 (1972). Indeed this is basically the argument proposed by the parents, that the court permitted best interest considerations “to creep into and subvert the adjudicatory phase.” However, no argument is made or can be made that best interest is not a consideration in the dispositional phase, detailed in section 2511(b). In this respect, Santosky is very illuminating in clearly stating the standard to be followed as to both phases of the proceeding.
At the factfinding, the State cannot presume that a child and his parents are adversaries. After the State has established parental unfitness at that initial proceeding, the court may assume at the dispositional stage that the interests of the child and the natural parents do diverge. See [New York] Fam Ct Act § 631 (judge shall make his order “solely on the basis of the best interests of the child,” and thus has no obligation to consider the natural parents’ rights in selecting dispositional alternatives). But until the State proves parental unfitness, the child and his parents share a vital interest in preventing erroneous termination of their natural relationship.
Santosky 455 U.S. at 760, 102 S.Ct. at 1398, 71 L.Ed.2d at 611 (footnote omitted).
As the Supreme Court pointed out in Santosky, section 631 of the New York Act, the equivalent of Pennsylvania section 2511(b) (primary concern for needs and welfare of child), permitted a shift in focus solely to the child’s best interest and away from the lock-step interest of parent and child, once the parent was found to be unfit. The Pennsylvania statute means nothing more. A survey of statutes and case law of several of the more populus states compels the same conclusions. In Texas, Vernon’s Codes Annotated, Family Code § 15.02, Involuntary Termination of Parental Rights, provides,
A petition requesting termination of the parent-child relationship with respect to a parent who is not the petitioner may be granted if the court finds that:
1) the parent has:
*486which is followed by A through K categories of parental fault or omission; and
2) termination is in the best interest of the child.
Id. (Emphasis added.) Cases in the commentaries provide that best interest is always relevant but that termination may not be based upon best interest alone. Clay v. Texas Dept. of Human Resources, (App. 10 Dist.1988) 748 S.W.2d 598, holds that involuntary termination of the parent-child relationship may not be based solely on determination of best interest of child: in addition to best interest of child, one or more acts or omissions under this section must be proved. This is virtually identical to the Pennsylvania position.
The Illinois statute is not so precise as is Pennsylvania, Texas, New York and California, but its effect is the same. The Illinois Code, S.H.A. ch. 37, paragraph 803-30, section 3-30, Adoption-Appointment of guardian with power to consent, provides a ward of the court under the juvenile act may be the subject of a petition for adoption which may allege that it is in the best interest of the child to be adopted, whereupon the court may appoint a guardian of the child who is authorized to consent to the adoption if the court finds, upon clear and convincing evidence that the parent(s) are unfit according to the definition of “unfit person” in the Adoption Act.
The Illinois Adoption Statute at ch. 40 Domestic Relations, § 1501, Definitions, includes the same requirements for reasons to terminate (and many more) as are provided for in the Pennsylvania Statute. The Illinois case law supports the identical basis for a decree of termination.
In Perkins v. Breitbarth, 54 Ill.Dec. 458, 99 Ill.App.3d 135, 424 N.E.2d 1361 (1981), it was held that in proceeding to terminate parental rights, a finding of parental unfitness, supported firmly by evidence, is prerequisite to addressing the question of child’s best interest. In In Interest of Grotti, 42 Ill.Dec. 150, 86 Ill.App.3d 522, 408 N.E.2d 728 (1980), the appellate court held the trial court properly *487considered best interest in conjunction with making general findings of unfitness of parents.
New York, under its Family Court Act, makes clear what the Pennsylvania Act also requires, but does so in a far more definitive manner. Title 29A, McKinney’s Case Laws of New York, Family Court Act, Art. 6, Part I Termination of Parental Rights, § 622, provides for a “fact-finding hearing” to determine that requirements of section 614 are met (that parent is unable or incapable, after diligent effort by the agency, to provide minimum care for the child). Following the fact finding hearing, pursuant to section 623, defining “dispositional hearing”, a hearing is held to determine what order of disposition should be made in accordance with the best interest of the child. Section 631, Disposition on adjudication of permanent neglect, allows the court to a) dismiss the petition, b) suspend judgment for up to one year, c) commit the child to guardianship and custody of petitioner under such condition it deems proper, — solely on the basis of the best interest of the child without presumption that such interest will be promoted by any particular disposition.
The majority focuses entirely on the adjudication stage and rightfully determines that best interest plays no part in this determination. However, a termination proceeding is not completed in the first phase and must proceed to an equally important phase delineated by section 2511(b) where, after determining that termination may be decreed pursuant to section 2511(a)(l-5), best interest primarily from the point of view of the child’s needs and welfare must be considered, except where certain environmental factors exist causing the dependency problem, which are beyond parental control. In Adoption of R.I., supra, the Supreme Court, in two places affirms this position. In footnote 12 the court states:
The best interest of the child cannot be considered in a proceeding to terminate parental rights until after a finding that the statutory requirements for termination have been met. Thus we consider R.I.’s best interest to *488support the orphans’ court decree only because the statutory requirements of Section 311(2) have been met in this case.
Id. 468 Pa. at 299 n. 12, 361 A.2d at 300 n. 12 (emphasis added; citations omitted).
In the main text of the Opinion, the Court concludes:
Because there is compelling evidence to support the trial court’s finding of continued and repeated neglect under section 311(2) and because R.I.’s welfare would be promoted by terminating appellant’s parental rights, we affirm the orphans’ court decree.
Id., 468 Pa. at 300, 361 A.2d at 300.
If there is no foreseeable place for a child to go but an institution, it could be better for the child to maintain some contact with the natural parent, however tenuous or inadequate, if termination was not decreed. Likewise, with some children a form of termination could be decreed which would continue involvement and visitation by the parents. In Re B.E., 474 Pa. 139, 377 A.2d 153 (1977) (Petition for involuntary termination was intended by the legislature solely as an aid to adoption. It eliminates the need for adoptive parents to be involved, but an agency must have a contemplated adoption in order for termination to be granted). As the Supreme Court held in Karis v. Karis, 518 Pa. 601, 544 A.2d 1328 (1988), the changing life of a child requires that we permit review of custody decisions based on a child’s best interest, rather than being bound by the doctrine of substantial change of circumstance. This is simply a recognition that hard and fast rules dealing with the complexities of child development and family life prove to be detrimental and unworkable in such a complex social and legal area. The state with the most complete and comprehensive legislation as to this issue and the degree to which the best interest of the child must ultimately be considered in a termination proceeding is California. In California, the provisions for termination comparable to section 2511 are found in West’s Annotated California Code, Chapter 4, Freedom from Parental Custody and Control. Persons entitled to be declared free from parental custody *489and control under section 232 are those under sections a), who are under eighteen who meet any one or more of eight descriptions, which basically are identical or similar to those categories under section 2511(a)(l)-(5). Section 232(b), provides:
(b) Wishes and best interest of child; testimony of minor in chambers. At all termination proceedings, the court shall consider the wishes of the child and shall act in the best interest of the child (it is then provided for the procedure for taking testimony).
(c) Clear and convincing evidence. A finding pursuant to this section shall be supported by clear and convincing evidence.
The Welfare and Institution Code, amendments effective in January 1989, in effect, separated children adjudicated dependent from the previously cited sections, Freedom from Custody and Control, § 232, and provided in section 366.26, Hearings terminating parental rights or establishing guardianship of minors adjudged dependent children of court on or after January 1, 1989; procedures and orders, that termination hearings would be heard in the Juvenile Court. I insert a portion of the California Statute, but by no means the majority of the statute as it is the most recent, exhaustive and far reaching in its provisions. The termination provision provides as follows:
(b) At the hearing, which shall be held in juvenile court for all minors who are dependents of the juvenile court, the court shall review the report as specified in Section 361.5, * * * 366.21, or 366.22, shall indicate that the court has read and considered it, shall receive other evidence that the parties present, and then shall do one of the following:
(1) Permanently sever the parent or parents’ rights and order that the child be placed for adoption.
(2) Without permanently terminating parental rights, identify adoption as the permanent placement goal and order that efforts be made to locate an appropriate adoptive family for the minor for a period not to exceed 60 days.
*490(3) Without permanently terminating parental rights, appoint a legal guardian for the minor and issue letters of guardianship * * *.
(4) Order that the minor be placed in long-term foster care, subject to the regular review of the juvenile court.
In choosing among the above alternatives the court shall proceed pursuant to subdivision (c).
(c) At the hearing the court shall proceed pursuant to one of the following procedures:
(1) It shall terminate parental rights if it determines by clear and convincing evidence that it is likely that the minor will be adopted. The findings pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 361.5 that reunification services shall not be offered, or the findings pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 366.21 ‘that the whereabouts of a parent have been unknown for six months or that the parent has failed to visit or contact the child for six months or that the parent has been convicted of a felony indicating parental unfitness, or pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of Section 366.21 or subdivision (a) of Section 366.22 that a minor cannot or should not be returned to his or her parent or guardian, are a sufficient basis for termination of parental rights unless the court finds that termination would be detrimental to the minor due to one of the following circumstances:
(A) The parents or guardians have maintained regular visitation and contact with the minor and the minor would benefit from continuing the relationship.
(B) A minor 10 years of age or older objects to termination of parental rights.
(C) The child is placed in a residential treatment facility, adoption is unlikely or undesirable, and continuation of parental rights will not prevent finding the child a permanent family placement if the parents cannot resume custody when residential care is no longer needed.
(D) The minor is living with a relative or foster parent who is unable or unwilling to adopt the minor because of exceptional circumstances, which do not include an unwillingness to accept legal responsibility for the minor, but *491who is willing and capable of providing the minor with a stable and permanent environment and the removal of the minor from the physical custody of his or her relative or foster parent would be detrimental to the emotional well-being of the minor.
I would, therefore, hold that if the adjudicatory phase established parental unfitness by clear and convincing evidence, the court could proceed to hear evidence with primary consideration for the needs of the child which would permit the judge to enter a decree solely in the best interest of the child. This is precisely the approach detailed by our Supreme Court in In re Adoption of J.J., 511 Pa. 590, 515 A.2d 883 (1986), in discussing lack of capacity.
The statute makes it clear that grounds for termination consist of lack of capacity and not just affirmative misconduct. Judicial inquiry is to be centered on the best interest of the child, rather than the fault of the parent.
Id., 511 Pa. at 607, 515 A.2d at 892 (emphasis added, footnote omitted). Both In re Adoption of A.N.D., 360 Pa.Super. 157, 520 A.2d 31 (1987), and In re Adoption of Hamilton, 379 Pa.Super. 274, 549 A.2d 1291 (1988), correctly follow In re Adoption of J.J., supra, and should not be rejected for citing best interest considerations, as held by the majority. In attempting to distinguish best interest, the majority is simply abandoning it, when all that is required is to make certain, as in juvenile proceedings, it is introduced in the proper procedural sequence. The majority erroneously limits best interest to a balancing test in child custody proceedings with no application to termination proceedings. There is no need to limit best interest only to child custody matters between two parents when it is an underlying principle in all child related litigation (change of name, legitimacy, adoption, juvenile delinquency, abortion, emancipation, under age marriage). The majority fails to clarify this issue and will permit a spurious concept to creep into the law which is possibly not intended. Despite finding that the state has carried its burden that termination may be decreed, a final Order of termination of parental rights is *492not a foregone conclusion until a review pursuant to section 2511(b) determines it is in the best interest of the child. While here it appears suitable adoptive parents are available for the Coast children, it is not difficult to visualize instances where termination is not in the best interest of the child. Adoption today is becoming a very flexible tool for permanency planning for dependent children. While section 2511 frees many children for adoption, parental rights in some cases are terminated when adoption is not a viable option. One inquiry under section 2511(b) which may be made is whether the best interest or needs and welfare of a child is being met by termination or a determination of the options which are available. Here, a best interest review has established the parents have conclusively been determined to have failed in their parental responsibilities with no reasonable likelihood that they can resume proper care of the children. Indeed, even parental visitation is deemed unsuitable because of the harm to the children. The children have expressed their desire not to return to their natural parents and the court immediately has available for them adoptive parents who can and will meet their needs. A finding that it is in the children’s best interest, pursuant to section 2511(b), is supported by the record, and I would so find.
OLSZEWSKI, J., joins TAMILIA, J.

. This is true only as between parents. When a third party is an adversary to the parents, our courts have stated that the parent has a prima facie right to custody; the third party has a heavy burden to overcome this right and the evidentiary scale is tipped hard to the parent’s side. When the parent and the state are adversaries, the state may intervene only in accordance with the statute and its burden is very heavy. Ellerbe v. Hook, 490 Pa. 363, 416 A.2d 512 (1980), In Re Custody of Hernandez, 249 Pa.Super. 274, 376 A.2d 648 (1977).

. The majority concedes that "additional factors as Judge Tamilia defines as consideration of the child’s best interest" may result in the court’s not terminating parental rights (Slip Op. at 8; emphasis added). I go further, however, and would hold that a termination finding cannot be made without considering best interest even though the parents have been found to be unfit.