Court Opinion

ID: 5103345
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-10-02 00:07:47.669607+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:21:01.412193
License: Public Domain

Justice HANKINSON
dissenting, joined by Justice ENOCH.
The Court states the issue in this case as “whether there is legally sufficient evidence to support the trial court’s express or deemed finding that termination is in the best interest of the children.” This statement of the issue will come as a surprise to the parties and the court of appeals, as no one has raised, briefed, or addressed this issue at any stage of these proceedings. In this parental-rights-termination case the State asked us to decide whether due process requires a court of appeals to review alleged errors in the charge when the parents did not object to those errors at trial. Instead of answering that question, the Court explains the consequences of the parents’ failure to object to the first alleged charge error (omission of a statutory element required for termination) under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 279. But those consequences are not at issue, and rule 279 does not answer the actual question presented of whether, in light of the constitutional interests at stake, our law requires an appellate court to consider the parents’ complaints as if they did object to the charge, even though they admit they did not. The Court does not even attempt to explain how it can review the parents’ second unpreserved claim of charge error (concerning broad-form submission), instead simply concluding that the error, if any, was harmless. Refusing to answer the question presented does a disservice to our courts of appeals by failing to resolve the conflict among them as to whether they may review un-preserved error in termination cases; a disservice to our established jurisprudence, which permits us to review only preserved complaints unless a recognized exception exists; and. most importantly, a disservice to the parents and children who are entitled to consistent and efficient appellate review that fairly adjudicates their *286complaints in these time-sensitive and compelling cases.
I therefore dissent and write separately to explain how I would resolve the actual issue presented in this case. Because I conclude that Texas’ common-law doctrine of fundamental error permits us to review the alleged charge errors, I would hold that Texas procedures for reviewing un-preserved charge error in parental-rights-termination cases do not violate due process. Having considered the alleged errors, however, I disagree with the court of appeals that the omission in the jury charge was harmful, and I would therefore remand this cause to the court of appeals for it to consider the remaining issues it did not yet address.
The Court relies on rule 279 to affirm the trial court’s termination judgment. But rule 279 does not tell us whether charge error in a parental-rights-termination case can be reviewed for the first time on appeal. The purpose of rule 279 is to “salvage” a trial court’s judgment when a party failed to object to an omitted element of a ground of recovery in a jury charge. See 4 MoDonald & Carlson, Texas Civil PRACTICE § 22:58, at 500-01 (2d ed.2001). Under rule 279, the court may deem the finding in support of the judgment if there is “some evidence” to support the finding. See Ramos v. Frito-Lay, Inc., 784 S.W.2d 667, 668 (Tex.1990); Cielo Dorado Dev., Inc. v. Certainteed Corp., 744 S.W.2d 10, 11 (Tex.1988). By marshaling the evidence to support a deemed finding against the parents under rule 279, the Court essentially conducts a harmful-error analysis of the charge error. But this approach is circular. The Court determines that applying rule 279 to deem a finding in support of the judgment does not violate due process because it concludes there was no harmful error. But had the error been harmful, the Court could not apply rule 279, and the parents would be left where they started: asking an appellate court to review unpreserved charge error. The Court should address the issue raised in the petition that we granted, and decide whether our law on preservation of error mandates appellate review of the parents’ unpreserved complaints.
The Court’s opinion describes how the jury charge in this case failed to track the statutorily required language found in Texas Family Code § 161.001. On appeal, the Coxes argued that the jury charge was erroneous because: (1) it failed to instruct the jury that they must find termination to be in the best interest of the children; and (2) the broad-form questions and disjunctive instructions violated their due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article 1, Sections 3 and 10 of the Texas Constitution. The Coxes acknowledged that they had not preserved these complaints in the trial court. However, they argued that the constitutional dimension of the liberty interests at stake and the quasi-criminal nature of a parental-rights-termination action warranted appellate review of the alleged jury-charge errors.
The court of appeals agreed. Specifically, the court of appeals held that Fourteenth Amendment procedural due process requires review of “core issues” in the jury charge in an involuntary parental-rights-termination case. 57 S.W.3d at 72. The court defined those “core issues” as “(1) the predicate grounds for termination, and (2) whether termination is in the best interest of the child.” Id. at 72 n. 5. After reviewing the jury charge in this case, the court concluded that the use of the broad-form question and disjunctive instruction in the jury charge was proper, having been explicitly approved by this Court in Texas Department of Human Services v. E.B., *287802 S.W.2d 647 (Tex.1990). 57 S.W.3d at 73. The court also concluded, however, that the omission of the “best interest” instruction as to Tawnya and the placement of the “best interest” instruction as to Paige constituted harmful error, because of the “potential” that the jury could have terminated both parents’ rights “without finding that termination was in the best interest of the children.” Id. at 74, 75. The court remanded the case to the trial court for a new trial without reviewing the Coxes’ other complaints on appeal. Id. at 75. In its petition for review, the Department contends that the court of appeals erred by reviewing the unpreserved jury-charge error.
In effect, the court of appeals held that our state procedural rules violate due process in parental-rights-termination cases because they prohibit review when error is not preserved in the context of “core issues.” See id. at 72-73. The analytical starting point for determining whether our procedures violate the Constitution is our law on error preservation for appellate review. As a general rule, no error may be reviewed on appeal that was not raised before the trial court. Tex.R.App. P. 33.1. Nevertheless, like most other jurisdictions, our civil jurisprudence is well settled that appellate courts may consider unpreserved error that is “fundamental.” See McCauley v. Consol. Underwriters, 157 Tex. 475, 304 S.W.2d 265, 266 (1957); Ramsey v. Dunlop, 146 Tex. 196, 205 S.W.2d 979, 982 (1947); see also 6 MoDoNald & CaRlson, Texas Civil PRactice § 47:4, at 1201-02 (2d ed.1998) (recognizing fundamental error as an exception to the general rule of preservation); W. James Kronzer, Laying the Foundation for Appellate Review, in Appellate Procedure in Texas (State Bar of Texas, 2d ed.1979), § 9.2, at 204-06 (same); Allen Wood, The Bill of Exceptions as Basis for Review, in id. § 11.5, at 248-49 (same). While most jurisdictions recognize some type of fundamental error, they do not define it uniformly.1 Black’s *288Law Dictionary defines the essence of fundamental error as that which is “so obvious and prejudicial that an appellate court should address it despite the parties’ failure to raise a proper objection.” BlaCK’s Law DigtionaRY 563 (7th ed.1999) (defining also “plain error” and “error apparent of record”). Our own application of fundamental error review has changed throughout the years. Consequently, an analysis of its evolution in our jurisprudence is useful to understanding how and when we should apply it.
We first recognized fundamental error as a principle firmly rooted in the common law. In Jones v. Black, 1 Tex. 527 (1846), this Court observed that as a general rule, “the record being silent as to any judicial action either sought or had upon the issues of law, they will be considered as waived, and will not be made the subject of revision here.” Id. at 529. Nevertheless, this Court held that “ ‘if the foundation of the action has manifestly failed, we can not, without shocking the common sense of justice, allow a recovery to stand.’ ” Id. at 530 (quoting Palmer v. Lorillard, 16 Johnson 343, [348], 1819 WL 1790 (N.Y.1819)); see also Siese v. Malsch, 54 Tex. 355, 357 (1881) (objections that go to merits and foundation of action will be considered though unassigned as error); Rankert v. *289Clow, 16 Tex. 9, 13 (1856) (same); Salinas v. Wright, 11 Tex. 572, 577 (1854) (same); Wetmore v. Woodhouse, 10 Tex. 33, 34 (1853) (same).
Although these early eases considered fundamental error to be a principle of common law, our Legislature had already codified its own version of fundamental-error review. In 1846, the Legislature enacted a statute that provided for supreme court review of “error in law either assigned or apparent on the face of the record.” Act approved May 12, 1846, 1st Leg., § 24, 1846 Tex. Gen. Laws 249, 256-57, reprinted in 2 H.P.N. Gammel, The Laws of Texas 1838-1846, at 1555, 1562-63 (Austin, Gam-mel Book Co. 1898). But in 1850, the Legislature enacted a statute providing that “[t]he appellant or plaintiff in error, shall in all cases file with the clerk of the court below, an assignment of errors, distinctly specifying the grounds on which he relies ... and all errors not so distinctly specified, shall be considered by the Supreme Court as waived.” Act approved Feb. 11, 1850, 3rd Leg., R.S., ch. 139, § 9, 1850 Tex. Gen. Laws 171, 173-74, reprinted in 3 Gammel, Laws of Texas 1847-1854, at 609, 611-12 (1898). Both statutes were made applicable to the courts of civil appeals when those courts were organized. See Act approved Apr. 13,1892, 22nd Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 15, §§ 24, 25, 1892 Tex. Gen. Laws 25, 29, reprinted in 10 Gammel, Laws of Texas 1891-1897, at 389, 393 (1898). Although by its terms, the 1850 statute appeared to repeal the 1846 statute, our courts continued to consider fundamental error without acknowledging any effect of the 1850 statute. See Ramsey, 205 S.W.2d at 982. But see Oar v. Davis, 105 Tex. 479, 151 S.W. 794, 796 (1912) (holding that the statutes could be harmonized).
In one of the first cases to construe the 1846 statute, Wilson v. Johnson, 94 Tex. 272, 60 S.W. 242 (1900), this Court stated that “it is difficult to tell what is meant by this language; but we incline to think it intended to signify a prominent error, either fundamental in character, or one determining a question upon which the very right of the case depends.” Id. at 243; see also Houston Oil Co. of Tex. v. Kimball, 103 Tex. 94, 122 S.W. 533, 537 (1909) (“Perhaps the best expression is that it must be a fundamental error, such error as being readily seen lies at the base and foundation of the proceeding and affects the judgment necessarily.”). Thus, “ ‘fundamental error’ is not a statutory term, but is one coined by the courts in interpreting our [statutes].” Texas & Pac. Ry. Co. v. Lilly, 118 Tex. 644, 23 S.W.2d 697, 698 (1930).
Our decisions from the pre-rules era disclose two policies that informed the application of fundamental-error review. First, as a matter of efficiency and economy, appellate courts were not required to examine the record in order to ascertain whether there was a basis for claiming error. See Wilson, 60 S.W. at 243 (“The purpose of assignments of error is to point out the errors complained of, and not to leave the appellate court to grope through the record to ascertain whether error has been committed or not.”); see also Ford & Damon v. Flewellen, 276 S.W. 903, 903-04 (Tex.Com.App.1925, judgm’t adopted) (“Any other rule ... would place an almost unbearable burden upon our appellate courts.”). Thus, appellate courts considered unpreserved error only when the complaint could be seen on the face of the “record”- — defined as “those proceedings which lie at the foundation of the court’s power to render the judgment,” such as the pleadings, the charge, the verdict, and the judgment itself. Texas & Pac. Ry. Co., 23 S.W.2d at 699; see Yardley v. Houston Oil Co. of Tex., 288 S.W. 861, 868 (Tex.Civ.App.-Beaumont 1926, writ dism’d) (“[I]n considering fundamental error, the *290Court of Civil Appeals can only read the pleadings of the parties, the charge of the court, the verdict of the jury, and the judgment of the court....”). If determining whether there was error required examining the statement of facts, the courts would not consider it “fundamental.” See, e.g., Yardley, 288 S.W. at 868 (trial court’s allegedly erroneous construction of deed was not “fundamental” because it would require reviewing the evidence). Second, appellate courts only reviewed unpre-served error when there was “a good and sufficient ground for the court to interfere to prevent injustice being done to one of the parties.” Houston Oil Co., 122 S.W. at 537; see also Hollingsworth v. Holshousen, 17 Tex. 41, 47-48 (1856) (citing the court’s practice to review an erroneous jury charge when there is reason to believe it influenced the verdict to the prejudice of a party); Jones, 1 Tex. at 530 (rejecting a challenge to improper venue as merely a “dilatory” challenge and not a foundational objection).
In 1941, both statutes were repealed by the act vesting the Supreme Court with rulemaking authority. Tex.Rev.Civ. Stat. Ann. art. 1731a, §§ 1, 2 (Vernon 1948); see City of Santa Anna v. Leach, 173 S.W.2d 193, 197-98 (Tex.Civ.App.-Eastland 1943, writ refd w.o.m.). We effectively “re-enacted” the 1850 statute in the form of Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 374, which required that any errors had to be presented in the court below or would be waived. For the few years immediately following the promulgation of the 1941 rules, a few courts of civil appeals held that they could no longer review fundamental error. See Brown v. O’Meara, 193 S.W.2d 715, 721 (Tex.Civ.App.-Galveston 1946, writ refd n.r.e.); Leach, 173 S.W.2d at 198.
In Ramsey v. Dunlop, 146 Tex. 196, 205 S.W.2d 979, 980 (Tex.1947), however, we held that the courts of civil appeals retained the authority to consider fundamental error, notwithstanding the apparent repeal of the statute and the enactment of rule 374. Ramsey involved an election for county commissioner. The candidate who received the fewest number of votes sued the winner on the grounds that the winner was not a resident of the precinct and therefore ineligible to hold office. The parties agreed that the only issues before the trial court were their respective residencies, the location of the precinct lines, and the validity of an order changing those precinct lines. The court of civil appeals, however, reversed the judgment on the ground that Texas Revised Civil Statute article 3032 permitted only the candidate who received the greatest number of votes cast to receive the certificate of election. See id. at 980-81. That issue was neither preserved in the trial court nor assigned as error in the briefs. See id. at 980.
The court of appeals certified to this Court the question of whether it erred in determining a cause on a point not assigned as error. See id. We held that the court of appeals did not err, because fundamental-error review applied. Id. at 983-84. Citing eighty-nine years of Texas courts reviewing fundamental error, even “in the face of a statute which declared that all [unpreserved] errors ... should be considered as waived,” this Court asked, “must we now hold that our courts of civil appeals have no authority to consider such errors because Art. 1837 has again been repealed by the substantial reenactment of Art. 1844 in the form of Rule 374, T.R.C.P.? As to errors that are truly fundamental, we think the answer must be No.” Id. at 982-83.
While recognizing that fundamental-error review survived the promulgation of the Rules of Civil Procedure, we acknowledged that the doctrine could not be the *291same as the one codified in the 1846 statute. Declining to create an “all-inclusive” definition of the term, we held that, for purposes of the Ramsey election dispute, “an error which directly and adversely affects the interest of the public generally, as that interest is declared in the statutes or Constitution of this state, is a fundamental error.” Id. at 983. We further determined that the alleged trial error would adversely affect the “fundamental public policy” found in the Texas Constitution and statutes that no one can be declared elected to public office unless he or she receives a majority or plurality of legal votes cast. Id.
Ten years later, in McCauley v. Consolidated Underwriters, 157 Tex. 475, 304 S.W.2d 265, 266 (Tex.1957), we reaffirmed the survival of the fundamental-error review doctrine, and held that it also applied in our Court. In McCauley, the trial court had set aside and vacated a default judgment. The court of civil appeals affirmed the order, despite the fact that it was a nonappealable interlocutory order. McCauley v. Consolidated Underwriters, 301 S.W.2d 181, 185 (Tex.Civ.App.-Beaumont 1957), rev’d, 157 Tex. 475, 304 S.W.2d 265 (Tex.1957). In its response to the plaintiffs writ of error to this Court, the defendant did not raise the jurisdictional defect in the court of appeals. Nevertheless, we held that fundamental error applied, reaffirming the definition from Ramsey. 304 S.W.2d at 265. We expanded on the definition, holding that “[w]hen the record affirmatively and conclusively shows that the court rendering the judgment was without jurisdiction of the subject matter, the error will also be regarded as fundamental.” Id. at 266. Accordingly, we held that this Court had the power to reverse the court of appeals’ judgment, and we dismissed the appeal on the unassigned jurisdictional error. Id.
Ramsey and McCauley were watershed decisions, establishing that fundamental-error review is not barred by our procedural rules. In the forty years since those decisions, Texas courts have consistently recognized and reaffirmed the existence of the fundamental-error doctrine. Because there is no statute defining the principle, we tend to agree with the commentator who noted that “[tjhere is no single satisfactory definition of the phrase, nor can one easily analyze the cases for prognostic purposes.” Kronzer, supra, § 9.2, at 205. In reviewing our caselaw, however, we are able to distill two types of error that our courts have consistently recognized are subject to fundamental-error review.
First, and most commonly, we apply fundamental-error review when a jurisdictional defect exists in the case. See, e.g., Texas Ass’n of Bus. v. Texas Air Control Bd., 852 S.W.2d 440, 445-46 (Tex.1993) (holding that standing is a jurisdictional issue that can be raised for the first time on appeal); New York Underwriters Ins. Co. v. Sanchez, 799 S.W.2d 677, 678 (Tex.1990) (holding that lack of appellate jurisdiction is fundamental error); McCauley, 304 S.W.2d at 265-66 (applying fundamental-error review because intermediate court lacked jurisdiction). With “jurisdictional-based” fundamental-error review, an appellate court may reverse the judgment of the court below for error — without conducting a review for harm — even if the error is not preserved. See Baker v. Hansen, 679 S.W.2d 480, 481 (Tex.1984).
Second, we apply fundamental-error review when an important public interest or public policy is at stake. See, e.g., Ramsey, 205 S.W.2d at 983. “Public-interest-based” fundamental error differs from jurisdiction-based fundamental error in both a procedural and substantive way: As a procedural matter, public-interest-based fundamental-error review does not man*292date automatic reversal. Instead, after an appellate court determines that it will consider the unpreserved error, the court conducts the next two steps of appellate review and determines whether an error in fact occurred, and whether the error is harmful. See W. Wendell Hall, Standards of Review in Civil Appeals, 24 St. MAry’s L.J. 1045, 1056 (1993); see, e.g., In re C.O.S., 988 S.W.2d 760, 767 (Tex.1999) (concluding that failure to give statutory admonishments, while fundamental error, was not harmful error requiring reversal); State v. Santana, 444 S.W.2d 614, 615 (Tex.1969) (holding that jury charge in juvenile case warranted fundamental-error review and analyzing whether charge violated due process), vacated on other grounds, 397 U.S. 596, 90 S.Ct. 1350, 25 L.Ed.2d 594, on remand, 457 S.W.2d 275 (Tex.1970).
Substantively, public-interest-based fundamental error is rare, implicated only when our most significant state public interests are at stake. The meaning of the “public interest” that is adversely affected must be extremely circumscribed, or the exception would swallow the rule. Thus, it cannot be enough to allege that an error violates a party’s constitutional rights. See Texas Dep’t of Protective & Regulatory Servs. v. Sherry, 46 S.W.3d 857, 861 (Tex.2001) (holding that constitutional claim that paternity suit should not be barred by statute of limitations is waived by failing to raise the issue before the trial court) (citing Dreyer v. Greene, 871 S.W.2d 697, 698 (Tex.1993)). In Ramsey, we characterized the type of public interest that must be at stake as one “declared in the statutes or Constitution of this state.” Ramsey, 205 S.W.2d at 983. However, we carefully declined to create an “all-inclusive” definition of a public interest that requires fundamental-error review. Id. Subsequent cases have identified statements of public interest based on our constitution and reflected in our caselaw. See, e.g., Santana, 444 S.W.2d at 615 (citing “the constitutional importance of this case to the public generally”); Woodard v. Texas Dep’t of Human Res., 573 S.W.2d 596, 597 (Tex.Civ.App.-Amarillo 1978, writ rev’d n.r.e.) (citing Texas Supreme Court precedent for the proposition “that the interest of the public is affected when the custody of a child is at issue”).
Since Ramsey, our courts have categorically recognized only one other type of public interest so significant that fundamental-error review applies — the state’s interest in the rights and welfare of minors. In particular, our courts have recognized fundamental-error review in the following cases: the failure to give statutory admonishments in a juvenile delinquency proceeding, see In re C.O.S., 988 S.W.2d at 767; a jury charge submitting “preponderance of the evidence” as the burden of proof in a juvenile delinquency case, see Santana, 444 S.W.2d at 615; a jury charge based on an invalid theory of liability in a juvenile delinquency case, see R.A.M. v. State, 599 S.W.2d 841, 846 (Tex.Civ.App.-San Antonio 1980, no writ); the submission of “preponderance of the evidence” as the burden of proof in a parental-rights-termination case, see Woodard, 573 S.W.2d at 597; and an omission in a jury charge in a divorce case that deprived a minor child of the right to support, see Rey v. Rey, 487 S.W.2d 245, 248 (Tex.Civ.App.-El Paso 1972, no writ).
But not all cases involving children trigger fundamental-error review. In one case involving a minor, we rejected fundamental-error review because the error affected only the immediate private litigants and did not impact a matter of more general public concern. See Newman v. King, 433 S.W.2d 420, 422 (Tex.1968) (failure to appoint a guardian ad litem for a minor plaintiff in a change-of-name proceeding *293action does not warrant fundamental-error review because only the rights of the particular minor and litigants are affected). Our courts of appeals have reached the same result in other cases. See Wristen v. Kosel, 742 S.W.2d 868, 870-71 (Tex.App.-Eastland 1987, writ denied) (no fundamental-error review in a custody case between two fit parents in which “[njeither parent’s parental rights have been terminated”); Ingram v. Ingram, 249 S.W.2d 86, 88 (Tex.Civ.App.-Galveston 1952, no writ) (no fundamental-error review in a divorce case in which “the result of the suit can be of consequence to the litigants involved alone and ... no broad question of public interest is involved”).
Having reviewed our case law in this area, we are left with two guiding principles for determining whether fundamental-error review should apply to a matter of public interest: (1) the error complained of must implicate a significant public interest or policy of the state, articulated by our statutes, constitution, or caselaw; and (2) the nature of the error must be such that it impacts a truly general public interest, and not solely that of private litigants. To guide our determination in difficult cases, we should apply fundamental-error review to further its underlying policy of promoting judicial economy while avoiding manifest injustice.
With these principles in mind, I would turn to the errors alleged in this ease to determine whether the fundamental-error doctrine applies. First, the Coxes allege that the trial court erroneously failed to instruct the jury that it must find termination of the Coxes’ rights to be in the best interest of the child. The Coxes admit that they did not object at trial to the errors that they raised on appeal. Because charge error does not implicate the essential jurisdiction of the trial court to act, we should not review the error unless we determine that the public-interest basis for fundamental-error review applies. Applying the principles identified above, I would conclude that this charge error warrants fundamental-error review.
Our first inquiry should be whether the error affects a significant public interest, articulated in our statutes, constitution, or caselaw. See Ramsey, 205 S.W.2d at 988. In the statute governing suits affecting the parent-child relationship, our Legislature has declared that “[t]he public policy of this state is to ... assure that children will have frequent and continuing contact with parents who have shown the ability to act in the best interest of the child.” Tex. Fam.Code § 153.001(a). The statute further provides that “[t]he best interest of the child shall always be the primary consideration of the court in determining the issues of conservatorship and possession of and access to the child.” Id. § 153.002. And in the Family Code subchapter governing the termination of parent-child relationships, the Legislature has emphasized repeatedly that the “best interest of the child” is the state’s foremost priority in determining the welfare of children. See Tex. Fam.Code §§ 161.001(2) (court must find by clear and convincing evidence that termination is in the best interest of the child), .003(a)(5) (court may order termination based on inability to care for a child if it is in the child’s best interest), .004(a)(4) (court may order termination based on a subsequent petition if it is in the child’s best interest), .005(a) (court may order termination when parent is petitioner if in the best interest of the child), .007(3) (court may order termination if pregnancy results from parent’s criminal act and if in the best interest of the child), .204 (court may order termination based on affidavit of waiver of interest if it is in the best interest of the child); see also §§ 107.001(b) (court must appoint guardian ad litem to represent best interest of *294the child in a termination suit brought by the government); 153.433 (court shall order access to a grandchild by a grandparent if in the best interest of the child). Here, the charge omits the instruction that the jury must consider the “best interest of the children.” Thus, the charge directly affects a statutorily defined public interest.
Further, the charge error directly affects the public policies stated in our case-law. We presume as a matter of public policy that the best interest of a child is usually served by maintaining the parent-child relationship. See In re G.M., 596 S.W.2d 846, 847 (Tex.1980); Wiley v. Spratlan, 543 S.W.2d 349, 352 (Tex.1976). Here, the State’s effort to involuntarily terminate the Coxes’ rights affects the public interest in maintaining the parent-child relationship. In addition, we employ a higher standard of proof in parental-termination cases than we do in ordinary civil cases, reflecting the particular importance of ensuring a correct judgment in these cases. In re G.M., 596 S.W.2d at 847 (citing Addington v. State, 441 U.S. 418, 99 S.Ct. 1804, 60 L.Ed.2d 323 (1979)); see also Tex. Fam.Code § 161.001 (codifying In re G.M. by establishing “clear and convincing evidence” as the burden of proof). In this case, the charge omits a required finding for termination and therefore directly and adversely impacts the public interest in reaching a correct judgment.
Having determined that the error alleged here affects a significant public interest, we should look to see whether the error impacts the public generally, and not just the immediate litigants. See Newman, 433 S.W.2d at 422. I would hold that an involuntary termination suit impacts the public generally. Parents have primary responsibility for the “ ‘custody, care and nurture’ ” of their children. In re G.M., 596 S.W.2d at 846 (quoting Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645, 92 S.Ct. 1208, 31 L.Ed.2d 551 (1972)). The State has a right and duty to look after the welfare of the children within its borders. See Wicks v. Cox, 146 Tex. 489, 208 S.W.2d 876, 878 (1948). Consequently, when the State acts to terminate a parent’s rights, the State assumes the responsibility for the children’s welfare. The State’s responsibility for the support of children is “obviously a matter of public interest” that “transcends the interest of the parties” to the immediate action. Rey, 487 S.W.2d at 248; cf. Wristen, 742 S.W.2d at 870-71 (public interest not affected by the issue of which parent is appointed as managing conservator when both parents are able to take care of the child). The charge in this case allowed the trial court to terminate Tawn-ya Cox’s and Paige Cox’s parental rights without specifically instructing the jury that it must first find termination to be in the best interest of each child. Accordingly, the jury charge in this case had a potentially adverse impact on the Cox children’s best interest, which is a matter of public interest in a case that affects the public generally.
Concluding that the jury charge error alleged here is subject to fundamental-error review does not undermine the general policy of judicial economy that underlies our rule for preservation of trial error. In Pirtle v. Gregory, 629 S.W.2d 919 (Tex.1982), we explained that one rationale for requiring preservation is to avoid surprise to the opponent on appeal. Id. at 920. Here, the State had the burden of proving all the statutory elements of termination. Tex. Fam.Code § 161.001. The State can hardly say that it was “surprised” to find that the jury charge did not contain the elements that the statute clearly requires it to prove. Moreover, if the error likely caused an improper verdict, the State’s interest would be furthered by appellate review, because the State’s overriding con*295cern is the children’s best interest, not the termination of parental rights.
Accordingly, I would hold that our courts may review unpreserved jury-charge error relating to the required statutory findings in a parental-rights-termination case under our common-law doctrine of fundamental-error review. As a result of this holding, I would conclude that Texas procedures for reviewing un-preserved charge error in parental-rights-termination cases do not violate due process.
Having determined that the complaint in this case can be reviewed, our appellate procedure next requires that we determine whether the jury charge was error. See Hall, supra, at 1056; see, e.g., In re C.O.S., 988 S.W.2d at 767. Here, the proposed charge did not properly state the essential elements for terminating parental rights. Family Code § 161.001 provides that a court can involuntarily terminate a parent’s rights only after the court has found by clear and convincing evidence both that: (1) the parent has committed one or more of the enumerated predicate acts or omissions; and (2) termination is in the best interest of the child. See Tex. Fam.Code § 161.001; see also Comm, on Pattern Jury Charges, State Bar of Tex., Texas Pattern Jury Charges (Family) PJC 218.1 (2000). As to Tawnya, the proposed charge completely omitted the instruction that the jury find termination to be in the best interest of the child. As to Paige, the proposed charge included the “best interest” instruction only in conjunction with the alternative ground for termination that he had failed to comply with a court-ordered plan. Because a parental-rights-termination lawsuit is founded in statute, the jury charge should track the language of the statute. See Spencer v. Eagle Star Ins. Co. of Am., 876 S.W.2d 154, 157 (Tex.1994). I therefore agree with the court of appeals that because the “charge fails to require all the findings that, under the Family Code, are necessary to terminate parental rights,” the charge was error. 57 S.W.3d at 74.
Having determined that the parents’ complaint can be reviewed on appeal, and that the trial court erred, I would review next the court of appeals’ determination that the error was harmful. See Hall, supra, at 1056; see, e.g., In re C.O.S., 988 S.W.2d at 767. The court of appeals stated that the jury “could very well” have terminated Tawnya’s rights and “may very well” have terminated Paige’s rights without finding that termination was in the children’s best interest. 57 S.W.3d at 74-75. But whether the jury may have improperly terminated the Coxes’ parental rights because the charge omitted a statutory element is relevant only to whether there was error in the first instance. The Coxes must still show that the error probably caused rendition of an improper verdict. See Tex.R.App. P. 44.1(a). The court of appeals summarily stated that the evidence for terminating Tawnya’s rights was “not highly persuasive,” but it did not discuss that evidence. 57 S.W.3d at 74. And, with respect to Paige, the court of appeals said that the potential for the jury to terminate without finding termination in the children’s best interest was increased because there was “less support” in the evidence for the ground that Paige had failed to comply with a court-ordered plan. Id. at 75. But the court of appeals never explained how it reached its conclusion as to either parent that the error probably caused rendition of an improper judgment. We must review the “pleadings of the parties, the evidence presented at trial, and the charge in its entirety” to determine whether the charge in this case probably resulted in an improper judgment. Island Recreational Dev. v. Republic of Tex. Sav. Ass’n, 710 S.W.2d 551, 555 (Tex.1986); see *296Reinhart v. Young, 906 S.W.2d 471, 473 (Tex.1995).
The Department’s evidence overwhelmingly focused on and supported the conclusion that termination was in the best interest of these children. In particular, Tawnya Cox testified that she and her husband used cocaine while the children were at home, and that she believed her children were safe because cocaine made her more aware of her surroundings. The Coxes testified to arguing violently with each other. In one of those arguments, she knocked several teeth out of his mouth, and during another argument, he locked her out of the house while she was naked. Dr. Shinder, a psychologist whose office evaluated the Coxes, opined that neither could be fit parents due to their “aggression and violence and hostility” and drug use. Jasmine Khan, a licensed professional counselor, testified about the Cox children’s extreme, abnormal behavior when they were first removed from their parents’ household. Most significantly, she described hostile, aggressive, and violent play by A.B.C. Khan also said that A.B.C. told her he witnessed violence and was a victim of violence in the Cox home. Other Child Protective Services workers reiterated this testimony. Khan also testified that after several months in foster care, the children improved tremendously, and did not display any distress being away from their parents. She testified that the Coxes were unwilling and unmotivated to make productive changes to address the issues placing their children at risk. A police officer described numerous times that he had to investigate domestic-disturbance calls at the Cox household, and described the confrontations as “pretty violent” such that he had concern for the children. A conservator-ship worker from Child Protective Services testified that she observed visits between the Coxes and their children. She stated that the visits tended to be “chaotic,” and the children’s behavior deteriorated after each visit with their parents. The conservatorship worker also described the Coxes’ hostility and anger toward each other. Notably, the testimony of Dr. Shinder, Khan, the police officer, and the conservatorship worker all culminated with their opinions that termination of the Coxes’ parental rights and adoption would be in the Cox children’s best interest. And other witnesses who worked on the Cox case, including a Child Protective Services supervisor and Court Appointed Special Advocate, similarly testified that termination would be in the Cox children’s best interest.
The Coxes provided little evidence to contradict the evidence discussed above. However, their case likewise focused significantly on evidence relevant to whether termination was in the children’s best interest. For example, the Coxes attempted to explain their efforts — after a trial date was set on the Department’s termination petition — to comply with the Family Service Plan and to show their ability to provide the children a loving home. A year after the trial court initially ordered compliance with the Family Service Plan, in the fall of 1988, the Coxes moved to Austin from Waco. The jury heard testimony about a letter the Coxes’ attorney wrote to Child Protective Services in Austin, stating that the Coxes wanted to “derail the termination” by working with the Department. Also, Paige Cox testified that he called Child Protective Services in Austin once they moved in an effort to start compliance with the Family Service Plan. The Coxes also presented evidence about the changes in their lives and relationship since moving to Austin to demonstrate that termination would not be in the children’s best interest. Tawnya testified about her finding work in Austin. She said that Paige had *297become more open and communicative, and she described the environment in Austin as “wonderful.” The Coxes’ obstetrician for the birth of their fourth child-— who is not the subject of this suit — described the Coxes as “an appropriate, courteous, and loving couple.” And the Coxes’ landlord and roommate in Austin testified that their home was a “safe environment.” Thus, much of the evidence adduced at trial was probative toward the issue of whether termination was in the children’s best interest.
Moreover, the rest of the trial proceedings put this evidence in perspective, centering the jury’s attention on the best interest of the children. The Department’s pleadings specifically alleged as to each individual parent that “termination of the parent-child relationship [between the parent and each child] is in the best interest of the children, as required by Section 161.001 of the Texas Family Code.” The attorneys for all parties repeatedly emphasized throughout the voir dire, examination of the witnesses, opening statements, and closing argument that the jury’s focus should be on the children’s best interest. (In its opinion, the Court quotes two of the relevant portions of the opening argument and voir dire record in which the Coxes’ counsel reiterates that the jury’s determination will regard the children’s best interest. 96 S.W.3d at 261.) Finally, the jury charge listed factors to be considered in determining the children’s best interest, and many of these factors related to the evidence discussed above.
In light of the totality of the circumstances and the consistent and paramount emphasis upon the children’s best interest at trial, I would conclude that the failure to submit the “best interest” instruction was not reasonably calculated and did not probably cause the rendition of an improper verdict. See Tex.R.App. 44.1; Reinhart, 906 S.W.2d at 473; Island Recreational Dev., 710 S.W.2d at 555. I would conclude that the court of appeals therefore erred in reversing the trial court’s judgment on the basis that the omitted instruction was harmful error.
The Coxes’ second complaint is that the submission of the jury charge in a disjunctive instruction and as a broad-form question violated their constitutional rights to due process and due course of law. Using the analytical framework I have set out above, I would first determine whether the alleged error affects a significant public interest, articulated in our statutes, constitution, or caselaw. The Coxes assert that submission of a broad-form question violates due process because it permits the termination of parental rights without first ensuring that ten jurors agree on each statutory termination ground. If the charge violates due process for the reasons that the Coxes state, that violation would adversely impact the public interest in ensuring that the statutory grounds required for termination are found by clear and convincing evidence. See Tex. Fam. Code § 161.001. Furthermore, for the same reasons discussed as to the first charge complaint, this second charge complaint relates directly to the public interest in correct judgments and affects the public generally. Finally, broad-form jury charges are used uniformly in cases like this one, and therefore resolving the issue that this complaint raises would impact many parental-rights-termination cases. Accordingly, I would conclude that our fundamental-error doctrine permits us to review this complaint.
I would hold that the submission of the broad-form question did not violate the Coxes’ due process rights, and therefore was not error. In Texas Department of Human Services v. E.B., 802 S.W.2d 647, 649 (Tex.1990), we identified the control*298ling question in a parental-rights-termination case as whether the parent-child relationship between the parent and the children should be terminated. In the Coxes’ case, the charge specifically instructed the jury that at least ten jurors must agree on all answers supporting the verdict. See Tex.R. Civ. P. 292. We presume that the jury understood and followed its instructions. See Gillette Motor Transp. Co. v. Whitfield, 145 Tex. 571, 200 S.W.2d 624, 626 (1947).
The Coxes argue that our holding in Crown Life Insurance Co. v. Casteel, 22 S.W.3d 378 (Tex.2000), alters our analysis in E.B. In Casteel, we held that “[w]hen a single broad-form liability question erroneously commingles valid and invalid liability theories and the appellant’s objection is timely and specific, the error is harmful when it cannot be determined whether the improperly submitted theories formed the sole basis for the jury’s finding.” Id. at 389. Here, the Coxes do not assert that either of the disjunctive grounds for termination were invalid theories as applied to them. See id. And the Coxes raise no new arguments in this case to give us cause to revisit our decision in E.B. Accordingly, the court of appeals correctly held that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in submitting the broad-form jury charge.
For the reasons expressed above, I respectfully dissent to the Court’s opinion and judgment in this cause. The Court belabors the consequences of failing to preserve error, instead of deciding whether we can review that unpreserved error. The Court then inexplicably reviews an unpreserved complaint that it decides is harmless. Not only does the Court reach issues not presented by the parties and that are unnecessary to the resolution of the case, it retreats from our error-preservation standards, thereby adding further uncertainty to the already conflicting decisions from the courts of appeals. The only general proposition I can draw from the Court’s opinion is that courts of appeals should review error when they can determine from the record that the error is ultimately harmless. But my greatest concern is that the Court abandons its responsibility to ensure that parents and children receive fair, consistent, and expeditious appellate review in these most difficult cases. Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.

. See, e.g., Hill v. Sherwood, 488 So.2d 1357, 1359 (Ala.1986) (court may consider unpre-served error in closing argument only when so grossly improper and highly prejudicial so as to be beyond corrective action by trial court); Holiday Inns of Am., Inc. v. Peck, 520 P.2d 87, 90 (Alaska 1974) (court will consider " ‘plain error' that is likely to result in a miscarriage of justice”); Hale v. Morgan, 22 Cal.3d 388, 149 Cal.Rptr. 375, 584 P.2d 512, 516 (1978) (consideration of points not raised below permitted for important matters of public policy in which pure question of law is presented); Scheer v. Cromwell, 158 Colo. 427, 407 P.2d 344, 345 (1965) (in rare cases, court will notice manifest error); Collins v. Colonial Penn Ins. Co., 257 Conn. 718, 778 A.2d 899, 906 n. 14 (2001) (court will consider plain error when it is in the interest of the public welfare or justice between the parties); Wolhar v. General Motors Corp., 734 A.2d 161, 161, 1999 WL 485435 (Del.1999) (plain error is that which jeopardizes the fairness and integrity of the trial process); Newell v. District of Columbia, 741 A.2d 28, 34 (D.C.1999) (reversal for plain error when apparent from the face of the record that a miscarriage of justice has occurred); Murphy v. International Robotic Sys., 766 So.2d 1010, 1027 (Fla.2000) (court can consider unobjected-to, improper closing argument only when raised in a motion for new trial although rules require objection at trial); Foskey v. Foskey, 257 Ga. 736, 363 S.E.2d 547, 548 (1988) (listing types of cases in which court will reverse judgment based on unpreserved jury-charge error); Trucking Co. v. Board of Water Supply, 97 Hawaii 450, 40 P.3d 73, 81 (2002) (appellate court has discretion to notice plain error in civil cases when justice requires); Hecla Mining Co. v. Star-Morning Mining Co., 122 Idaho 778, 839 P.2d 1192, 1197 (1992) (recognizing plain or fundamental error); Gillespie v. Chrysler Motors Corp., 135 Ill.2d 363, 142 Ill.Dec. 777, 553 N.E.2d 291, 297 (1990) (plain error considered when litigant cannot receive a fair trial and judicial process would deteriorate); Manns v. Skolnik, 666 N.E.2d 1236, 1241 (Ind.Ct.App.1996) (court will consider error that is substantial blatant violation of principles rendering the trial unfair); Berg v. Zummo, 786 So.2d 708, 716 n. 5 (La.2001) *288(court will consider "plain and fundamental error” in jury instructions); Reno v. Townsend, 704 A.2d 309, 311 (Me.1997) (obvious error affects fairness of proceedings); Squibb v. R.M. Bradley & Co., 40 Mass.App.Ct. 914, 661 N.E.2d 1352, 1353 (1996) (plain error is that which results in manifest injustice); Napier v. Jacobs, 429 Mich. 222, 414 N.W.2d 862, 871 (1987) (plain error is that which results in manifest miscarriage of justice); Alpha Gulf Coast, Inc. v. Jackson, 801 So.2d 709, 727 (Miss.2001) (to reverse for plain error, court must find error and harm); Stanziale v. Musick, 370 S.W.2d 261, 269 (Mo.1963) (court will reverse for manifest injustice or miscarriage of justice); State ex. rel State Comp. Mut. Ins. Fund v. Berg, 279 Mont. 161, 927 P.2d 975, 982 (1996) (plain-error doctrine permits review of error that results in substantial injustice); Barks v. Cosgriff Co., 247 Neb. 660, 529 N.W.2d 749, 754 (1995) (court will reach the merits of plain error in jury charge); Sunrise Manor Town Protective Ass'n v. City of N. Las Vegas, 91 Nev. 713, 541 P.2d 1102, 1104 (1975) (plain error is so substantial as to result in injustice); Fertile ex. rel. Fertile v. St. Michael’s Med. Ctr., 169 N.J. 481, 779 A.2d 1078, 1085 (2001) (the standard for plain error is whether error had clear capacity for producing unjust result); Chavez v. Board of County Comm’rs., 130 N.M. 753, 31 P.3d 1027, 1039 (Ct.App.2001) (fundamental error applies, for example, when there is no jurisdiction or issue is a matter of public interest affecting large number of people); Elezaj v. P.J. Carlin Constr. Co., 89 N.Y.2d 992, 657 N.Y.S.2d 399, 679 N.E.2d 638, 638 (1997) (only intermediate appellate court has discretion to review unpreserved error); Rau v. Kirschenman, 208 N.W.2d 1, 9 (N.D.1973)(recognizing exception to preservation rules for fundamental error that is highly prejudicial) (on petition for rehearing); Goldfuss v. Davidson, 79 Ohio St.3d 116, 679 N.E.2d 1099, 1103 (1997) (reversing plain error when, if uncorrected, it would undermine public confidence in judiciary); Sullivan v. Forty-Second West Corp., 961 P.2d 801, 803 (Okla.1998) (fundamental error has a substantial effect on rights of one or more of the parties); Hotelling v. Walther, 174 Or. 381, 148 P.2d 933, 934 (1944) (plain error is error apparent on the record); Wuest ex. rel. Carver v. McKennan Hosp., 619 N.W.2d 682, 691 (S.D.2000) (errors must be obvious and substantial); Salt Lake City v. Ohms, 881 P.2d 844, 847 (Utah 1994) (court can review un-preserved error when exceptional circumstances exist); In re Maher, 132 Vt. 560, 326 A.2d 142, 144 (1974) (court will review errors so grave and serious as to strike to the heart of constitutional rights); Conner v. Universal Utils., 105 Wash.2d 168, 712 P.2d 849, 851 (1986) (court may review unpreserved issue regarding denial of procedural due process on appeal); Sheetz, Inc. v. Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love, PLLC, 209 W.Va. 318, 547 S.E.2d 256, 273 (2001) (error must be plain, affect substantial rights, and seriously affect fairness of judicial proceedings); Hatch v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 930 P.2d 382, 391 (Wyo.1997) (court must be able to discern error from record that affects substantial rights).