Termination of Parental Rights Over J.M.J., Matter of, 14672

• Decision Date: 13 September 1985
• Docket Number: No. 14672,14672
• Parties: In the Matter of the TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS OVER J.M.J. . On Rehearing
• Court: South Dakota Supreme Court

Page 816

379 N.W.2d 816

In the Matter of the TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS OVER J.M.J.

No. 14672.

Supreme Court of South Dakota.

On Rehearing Sept. 13, 1985.

Decided Dec. 18, 1985.

Rehearing Denied Jan. 27, 1986.

Ronald D. Campbell, Asst. Atty. Gen., Pierre, for appellee State; Mark V. Meierhenry, Atty. Gen., Pierre, on brief.

Forrest C. Allred, Aberdeen, for appellant mother.

HERTZ, Acting Justice.

This action pertains to the permanent termination of the parental rights of a mother, D.J., to her child, J.M.J. It arises from an appeal which restored D.J.'s parental rights over her child. We affirm.

This case is before us on the State of South Dakota Department of Social Services petition for rehearing. The procedural and factual background is chronicled in, Matter of J.M.J., 368 N.W.2d 602 (S.D.1985), and is synopsized as follows.

At a hearing conducted on December 13, 1982, D.J. voluntarily terminated her parental rights over her daughter, J.M.J. During the course of the proceedings, D.J. testified that she understood she was asking the court to irrevocably terminate her parental rights. She had no reservations about what she was doing, however, D.J. further understood that following the termination, J.M.J. would be placed for adoption with D.J.'s sister and brother-in-law in Arizona. Before the hearing was concluded, the judge informed the mother that he did not have authority to order where the child would be placed for adoption and that after custody was vested with Social Services, the court's jurisdiction would end.

The court thereafter ordered D.J.'s parental rights terminated and J.M.J. was placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services. Pursuant to the court's order, it was adjudged that Social Services place the child with her aunt and uncle, Pam and Daryl Filipek, if at all possible. The Department did in fact transfer J.M.J. to Arizona to live with her relatives, however, subsequent marital problems forced the Filipeks to request that J.M.J. be removed from their home. The Department brought J.M.J. back to South Dakota on March 31, 1984, at which time D.J. petitioned the trial court to vacate the order terminating her parental rights. This petition was denied.

Thereafter, D.J. appealed to this court which reversed the trial court's order and thereby, restored D.J.'s parental rights over her daughter. A full rehearing was granted upon new evidence which illuminated the fact that J.M.J. was placed with an adoptive family on August 9, 1984, one month after notice of appeal had been filed. Adoption was finalized on April 2, 1985. These facts were not made known to the court when it initially decided Matter of J.M.J., supra. The adoption record has been ordered included in the record upon rehearing.

At the outset, it cannot be overemphasized that voluntary termination proceedings under SDCL Ch. 25-5A bring parental rights to a complete and unequivocal end. Pursuant to SDCL 25-5A-16, it is incumbent upon the trial court to determine that the parents are fully aware of the purpose of the proceedings and the consequences of their actions.

The following testimony by D.J. given at the hearing on her petition for the voluntary termination of her parental rights, is pertinent to our discussion:

Q. Do you understand that this petition which you will be signing, that in that, you are asking the court to end your parental rights to the child forever?

A. Yes.

Q. And you understand that the child is going to be placed with, and is with your sister in Arizona, and they will adopt the child?

A. Right.

Q. And Social Services has assured you that the child will be adopted by that family, and that is one of the conditions why you are consenting to termination?

A. Yes.

The foregoing questions were propounded by D.J.'s trial counsel. Additionally, her trial counsel prepared the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and the Order terminating her parental rights dated December 29, 1982. In the findings, the court expressly found that D.J. was advised that the execution of the consent to terminate is irreconcilable, final and conclusive. The Order entered by the trial court directed the Department of Social Services to place the child for adoption with the Filipeks "if at all possible."

We are satisfied that the Department fulfilled its obligation under the Order by attempting to place J.M.J. with her aunt and uncle for adoption. That the child's placement and anticipated adoption failed is not the fault of Social Services. Consonent with Chief Justice Fosheim's dissent in Matter of J.M.J., supra, "These were possible contingencies which must reasonably have been anticipated at the termination hearing--no assurances to the contrary could have been made as a matter of law."

The trial judge, at the close of D.J.'s testimony, stated, "It's the court's understanding--I don't believe I have the authority to order that. I would place custody with Social Services, and, after that, my jurisdiction would end." It is obvious that D.J.'s trial counsel clearly understood from the court's statement that there was to be an irrevocable termination of parental rights and that, consistent with D.J.'s request, the Department of Social Services would be directed to proceed with the adoption of J.M.J. by the Filipeks. We are satisfied that D.J. understood the effect of the trial court's order in the same manner as did her own counsel.

By reiteration, there can be no conditional relinquishment of parental rights under our statutes. It follows, therefore, that D.J.'s request to have J.M.J. placed for adoption with the Filipeks cannot in any way be characterized as a condition, the nonfulfillment of which, is fatal to D.J.'s consent to termination of her parental rights. At the original hearing, D.J.'s testimony indicated that she understood that her child would never be returned to her. We are satisfied that the trial court did everything necessary to make D.J.'s decision well considered. To that end, Social Services attempted placement of the child in Arizona as ordered by the trial court. The subsequent failure of this endeavor was completely beyond their control.

As previously noted, J.M.J. was placed for adoption on August 9, 1984. The adoption became final on April 2, 1985. J.M.J. has been residing with her adoptive family for over one year. The Department of Social Services has admitted error in proceeding with the adoption after notice of appeal had been filed. D.J. argues that the Department should not be rewarded for committing such a grievous error. We, most certainly, do not condone the actions of the department, at the same time, we do not perceive it to be intentionally done to circumvent D.J.'s parental rights. We now are confronted with the paramount concern of this court, and that is the best interest and welfare of the child. It is now not a question of rewarding the department, but rather what is best for J.M.J. We hold that the best interest and welfare of J.M.J. is best served by permitting her to remain with her adoptive parents.

It is well known that children need stability and continuity in their lives. In a contest concerning the custody of a minor child, the best interests and welfare of a child are of paramount and controlling interest. Sweeney v. Joneson, 75 S.D. 213, 216, 63 N.W.2d 249, 251 (1954). Although parents have a fundamental right to their children, it is not an absolute and unconditional one. In Re K.D.E., 87 S.D. 501, 506, 210 N.W.2d 907, 910 (1973). The State of South Dakota, as parents patriae, takes necessarily strong interest in the care and treatment of every child within its borders. Matter of N.J.W., 273 N.W.2d 134, 137 (S.D.1978). As such, parental rights are not paramount to children's rights, and must give way to accommodate the best interests of the child which must always prevail. In Re A.I., 289 N.W.2d 247, 249 (S.D.1980).

Germane to this issue is J.M.J.'s adoption record. This document is replete with information concerning D.J. and the adoptive family in regard to parental fitness. The record contains, among other things, an evaluative report to the Third Circuit Court in which the investigator described J.M.J. as a bright and outgoing child who has made many friends, is doing well in school, and has adjusted easily to her new family. She takes dance and piano lessons. The adoptive father is a field engineer while his wife's primary occupation is that of wife, mother and homemaker. The adoptive parents report that the bonding they feel with J.M.J. is strong, reciprocated, and that she has assimulated well into their family.

By contrast, D.J. has a long history of mental and emotional problems. J.M.J. was born out of wedlock. Her alleged father denied paternity and has never made contact with the child. His parental rights were terminated pursuant to court order dated October 21, 1983. Pertinent to this matter are Chief Justice Fosheim's dissenting statements in Matter of J.M.J., supra,

We can assume that the termination decision ultimately rested on the neglect of the mother rather than the voluntary or involuntary nature of the petition. Before the mother came forward with a voluntary termination petition, the Department had commenced a dependency and neglect action against her. The primary significance of the voluntary petition therefore was its indication that the mother was not disputing the claims of child neglect, alleged by the Department.

Public policy dictates that decisions affecting children should be final. Finality is particularly important in the sensitive area of termination cases. Once the termination is final, a child such as J.M.J. may have the opportunity to find stability with an adoptive family. In In Re Magee, 74 S.D. 286, 290, 52 N.W.2d 99, 100 (1952), the child had lived with the adoptive parents for over six months but the adoption was not yet finalized. Shortly thereafter the natural mother petitioned for leave to...