Dep't of Human Servs. v. A. B. (In re S.-R. G. B.)

• Decision Date: 24 February 2022
• Docket Number: A176717 (Control), A176718
• Citation: 317 Or.App. 813,504 P.3d 710 (Mem)
• Parties: In the MATTER OF S.-R. G. B., a Child. Department of Human Services, Petitioner-Respondent, v. A. B., Appellant. In the Matter of L. F. A. C., a Child. Department of Human Services, Petitioner-Respondent, v. A. B., Appellant.
• Court: Oregon Court of Appeals

317 Or.App. 813

504 P.3d 710 (Mem)

In the MATTER OF S.-R. G. B., a Child.

Department of Human Services, Petitioner-Respondent,

v.A. B., Appellant.

In the Matter of L. F. A. C., a Child.

Department of Human Services, Petitioner-Respondent,

v.A. B., Appellant.

A176717 (Control), A176718

Court of Appeals of Oregon.

Submitted January 27, 2022.

February 24, 2022

Shannon Storey, Chief Defender, Juvenile Appellate Section, and Tiffany Keast, Deputy Public Defender, Office of Public Defense Services, filed the brief for appellant.

Ellen F. Rosenblum, Attorney General, Benjamin Gutman, Solicitor General, and Jeff J. Payne, Assistant Attorney General, filed the brief for respondent.

Before James, Presiding Judge, and Egan, Judge, and Kamins, Judge.

PER CURIAM

Mother challenges the juvenile court judgment terminating her parental rights to her two children, S and L. Parental rights may be terminated "if the court finds that the parent or parents are unfit by reason of conduct or condition seriously detrimental to the child or ward and integration of the child or ward into the home of the parent or parents is improbable within a reasonable time due to conduct or conditions not likely to change," ORS 419B.504, and "if the court finds [that termination] is in the best interest of the ward," ORS 419B.500. Ultimately, the "assessment of a child's best interest must be child-centered," taking into consideration the unique circumstances of each case. Dept. of Human Services v. T. M. D. , 365 Or. 143, 166, 442 P.3d 1100 (2019) ; see also Dept. of Human Services v. J. S. E. S. , 315 Or. App. 242, 244, 501 P.3d 556 (2021), rev. den. , 369 Or. 209, 502 P.3d 217 (2022) (court's best interest "determination is focused on the needs of the child").

Exercising de novo review, and having considered the entirety of the evidentiary record, we conclude, as did the trial court, that there is clear and convincing evidence that mother is currently unfit and that termination of mother's parental rights to S and L is in the children's best interests.

Affirmed.