Court Opinion

ID: 9712676
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 04:58:19.295658+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:13.689184
License: Public Domain

MANDERINO, Justice
(dissenting).
Appellant seeks to retain her parental rights to her daughter R. I., and to eventually regain custody of R. I. Since 1967, when appellant lost custody of all her children, she has worked hard to improve her situation, so as to be able to provide a good home for them. Appellant, however, is a victim of her circumstances: long working hours, inadequate housing, and the ill health and indifference of her husband have hindered, her progress and made a reunion with R. I., impossible at the present time. The majority opinion will forever preclude such a reunion, despite all of appellant’s attempts to remedy the situation. I must strongly dissent.
According to the majority opinion, under Section 311(2) of the Adoption Act of 1970, parental rights can now be involuntarily terminated without a showing of fault or any willful misconduct on the part of the parent. However, because of its recognition of the seriousness of a finding of abandonment, this Court has consistently imposed a strict burden of proof of some sort of willful misconduct on the part of the parent before involuntarily terminating parental rights. See, e. g., Re: Adoption of M. T. T., 467 Pa. 88, 354 A.2d 564 (filed March, 1976); In re Adoption of Farabelli, 460 Pa. 423, 333 A.2d 846 (1975); In re Adoption of McAhren, 460 Pa. 63, 331 A. 2d 419 (1975); In re Adoption of Wolfe, 454 Pa. 550, *302312 A.2d 793 (1973). Be it to show a relinquishing of parental claims to a child, the refusal or failure to perform parental duties, or continued neglect or abuse, we have always required, under both the old and new adoption laws, a showing of willful misconduct. Here, despite appellant’s intention to create a better home for her children, the majority has held that her present “incapacity” to provide “essential parental care, control or subsistence” cannot be remedied and is, therefore, a sufficient basis for terminating appellant’s parental rights.
I cannot agree. Not only is the majority opinion contrary to the long line of adoption cases decided by this Court, but its interpretation of Section 311(2) renders the statute unconstitutional. Unless we interpret Section 311(2) to include an element of willfulness we are allowing such persons, because of conditions over which they have no control, to be irreparably deprived of their rights to remain parents. Since we are required by Section 1922(3) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, 1 Pa.C.S. § 1922(3), to interpret all statutes in a light which makes them constitutional, Section 311(2) should be read to require a showing of willful misconduct.
I would therefore reverse the decree of the lower court.