IN THE MATTER OF: W.A., JR.
Case No. CT2013-0002
COURT OF APPEALS MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
August 1, 2013
[Cite as In re W.A., 2013-Ohio-3444.]
Hon. W. Scott Gwin, P. J. Hon. John W. Wise, J. Hon. Craig R. Baldwin, J.
CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Civil Appeal from the Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, Case No. 21130114. JUDGMENT: Affirmed.
For Appellant JOHN D. WEAVER 542 South Drexel Avenue Bexley, Ohio 43209
For Appellee MARIA N. KALIS ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR 27 North Fifth Street, Post Office Box 189 Zanesville, Ohio 43702-0189
{1} Appellant-Mother Kirsten Miller appeals the decision of the Court of Common Pleas, Muskingum County, Juvenile Division, which granted legal custody of her son, W.A., to a non-relative in a dependency/neglect action initiated by Appellee Muskingum County Children Services (“MCCS“). The relevant facts leading to this appeal are as follows.
{2} On July 11, 2011, Appellee MCCS took emergency custody of W.A., born in 2009, and filed with the trial court a complaint alleging that W.A. was a neglected or dependent child as defined in
{3} W.A. was placed in foster care following his removal by MCCS. On August 11, 2011, following a home study by the agency, W.A. was moved from a temporary foster placement to a foster placement with Amanda Brunton, who is not related to the child. Following a hearing on September 29, 2011, W.A. was adjudicated to be a neglected and dependent child. The trial court held a dispositional hearing on the same day, and W.A. was placed in the temporary custody of Amanda Brunton with protective supervision granted to the Agency.
{5} On, January 2, 2013, appellant filed a notice of appeal. She herein raises the following three Assignments of Error:
{6} “I. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN AWARDING LEGAL CUSTODY TO A NON-PARENT WHO FAILED TO SIGN A STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING AS REQUIRED UNDER
{7} “II. THE TRIAL COURT‘S DECISION AWARDING LEGAL CUSTODY TO AMANDA BRUNTON WAS AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.
{8} “III. APPELLANT WAS PREJUDICED BY THE INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF TRIAL COUNSEL.”
I.
{9} In her First Assignment of Error, appellant contends the trial court committed reversible error by awarding legal custody of W.A. to Amanda Brunton, a non-relative, without a signed statement of understanding as set forth in
{10} In Ohio, the statutorily permissible dispositional alternatives in a dependency, neglect, or abuse case are enumerated in
{11} “(a) That it is the intent of the person to become the legal custodian of the child and the person is able to assume legal responsibility for the care and supervision of the child;
{12} “(b) That the person understands that legal custody of the child in question is intended to be permanent in nature and that the person will be responsible as the custodian for the child until the child reaches the age of majority. Responsibility as custodian for the child shall continue beyond the age of majority if, at the time the child reaches the age of majority, the child is pursuing a diploma granted by the board of education or other governing authority, successful completion of the curriculum of any high school, successful completion of an individualized education program developed for the student by any high school, or an age and schooling certificate. ***.
{13} “(c) That the parents of the child have residual parental rights, privileges, and responsibilities, including, but not limited to, the privilege of reasonable visitation, consent to adoption, the privilege to determine the child‘s religious affiliation, and the responsibility for support;
{15} In the case sub judice, there is no indication in the record that Amanda Brunton, who was identified as the proposed legal custodian in the agency‘s motion for disposition, ever signed a statement of understanding under
{16} The transcript of the dispositional hearing of September 11, 2012, before us reveals that Ms. Brunton obtained an approved home study by MCCS approximately in August 2011, following which the agency placed W.A. with her. See
{17} Appellant‘s First Assignment of Error is overruled.
II.
{18} In her Second Assignment of Error, appellant contends the trial court‘s granting of legal custody to Amanda Brunton was against the manifest weight of the evidence. We disagree.
{19} Because custody issues are some of the most difficult and agonizing decisions a trial judge must make, he or she must have wide latitude in considering all the evidence and such a decision must not be reversed absent an abuse of discretion. Davis v. Flickinger (1997), 77 Ohio St.3d 415, 418, 674 N.E.2d 1159, citing Miller v. Miller (1988), 37 Ohio St.3d 71, 74, 523 N.E.2d 846. The Ohio Supreme Court has also explained: “A reviewing court should not reverse a decision simply because it holds a different opinion concerning the credibility of the witnesses and evidence submitted before the trial court. A finding of an error in law is a legitimate ground for reversal, but a difference of opinion on credibility of witnesses and evidence is not.” Seasons Coal Co. v. Cleveland (1984), 10 Ohio St.3d 77, 81, 461 N.E.2d 1273. Likewise, “[e]very reasonable presumption must be made in favor of the judgment and the findings [of the juvenile court]. * * * If the evidence is susceptible to more than one construction, we must give it that interpretation which is consistent with the verdict and judgment, and most favorable to sustaining the [juvenile] court‘s verdict and judgment.” In re: MB, Summit App.No. 21812, 2004-Ohio-2666, citing Karches v. Cincinnati (1988), 38 Ohio St.3d 12, 526 N.E.2d 1350. It is well established that the trial court, as the fact finder, is free to believe all, part, or none of the testimony of each witness. State v. Caldwell (1992), 79 Ohio App.3d 667, 679, 607 N.E.2d 1096. In contrast, as an appellate court, we neither weigh the evidence nor judge the credibility of the witnesses. Our role is to determine whether there is relevant, competent and credible evidence upon which the fact finder could base its judgment. Cross Truck v. Jeffries (February 10, 1982), Stark App.No. CA-5758. In manifest weight analyses, a reviewing court must determine whether the finder of fact, in resolving conflicts in the evidence, clearly lost his way and created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the judgment must be reversed and a new trial ordered. See Hunter v. Green, Coshocton App.No. 12-CA-2, 2012-Ohio-5801, ¶ 25, citing Eastley v. Volkman, 132 Ohio St.3d 328, 972 N.E.2d 517, 2012-Ohio-2179.
{20} We reiterate that this case did not result in a grant of permanent custody to the agency and a full termination of parental rights. Despite the differences between a disposition of permanent custody and a disposition of legal custody, some Ohio courts have recognized that “the statutory best interest test designed for the permanent custody situation may provide some ‘guidance’ for trial courts making legal custody
{21} As well summarized in the briefs, during the hearing on the agency‘s dispositional motion on September 11, 2012, MCCS presented testimony from two witnesses: Cathy Loucks, the agency case worker for W.A. and Sara Joseph, the agency family stability worker for appellant. It appears that MCCS intended to call Amanda Brunton and possibly other persons as rebuttal witnesses, but the trial court indicated that the allotted time for the hearing had been exhausted. See Tr. at 120.
{22} According to Loucks, the first goal in Appellant‘s case plan was that she needed to maintain her health following kidney-related issues that required hospitalization; however, appellant has satisfied this goal and has not been hospitalized since September 8, 2011. At the hearing, Loucks opined that appellant had no medical issues that would prevent her for caring for the child. See Tr. at 7-8. However, when appellant later took the stand, she asserted that she had disabilities in the form of “kidney problems, depressant [sic] and bipolar.” Tr. at 80.
{23} The next goal of the case plan was that appellant would work on parenting and housing issues with a family stability worker. Id. Loucks testified that appellant had stayed in approximately twelve locations since W.A.‘s removal. Tr. at 8-14. These included a homeless shelter for women, some locations where appellant had spent “two or three days,” and the homes of family members where appellant stayed. Tr. at 10-11. Loucks also testified that appellant had found more stable housing in “May or June of [2012]” and was added to a lease for that location in July 2012. Tr. at 11.
{24} The next requirement of the case plan was that appellant would obtain mental health counseling. Tr. at 19. This was due to appellant‘s issues of stability and an earlier self-report of depression. Id. Appellant completed a mental health assessment in July 2012. Tr. at 20. The recommendation from that assessment was that appellant should continue to receive counseling, which Loucks testified appellant was doing, albeit with a different counselor. Id. Loucks also noted that while appellant has been consistently visiting with W.A. since April 2012, she had missed thirty visits in the year 2012.
{25} Loucks also testified regarding appellant‘s income and employment. Tr. at 18. Appellant has been relying on her husband Eric‘s social security (SSI) income, although she was purportedly applying for her own benefits. Tr. at 19. Sara Joseph also testified regarding appellant‘s financial situation. Joseph agreed that if they stayed on a budget, the household income of appellant and her husband was “adequate to care for a child.” Tr. at 43. Joseph also testified that appellant began taking parenting classes on May 29, 2012, and that she completed those classes prior to the hearing. Tr. at 38-39. Joseph also offered testimony regarding an incident between appellant and her husband. Tr. at 44-45. Appellant‘s husband was charged in that incident with domestic violence, which was later reduced to disorderly conduct. Appellant testified that she did not mean to report that her husband had punched her. Tr. 94-96.
{26} Joseph nonetheless testified that appellant‘s present husband, Eric, is a “good support person for her” and that he is “encouraging.” Tr. at 43-44. Loucks
{27} Appellant has two other children in addition to W.A. Custody of appellant‘s other son was granted to a grandmother by the Muskingum County Domestic Relations Court. Tr. at 25. Appellant‘s daughter is in the temporary custody of the agency. Tr. at 26. Loucks nonetheless opined that reunification would require at least “three to four months,” assuming appellant continued doing the things she had been doing. Tr. at 27.
{28} We cannot deny that appellant did reach a number of her case plan objectives; however, appellant‘s accomplishments generally had only recently begun prior to the hearing of September 11, 2012. Furthermore, as noted previously, the guardian ad litem issued a report before the hearing recommending legal custody to Ms. Brunton. Upon review of the record and the testimony and reports therein, we reach the conclusion that the trial court‘s grant of legal custody of W.A. to Ms. Brunton was supported by the evidence presented, was made in the consideration of the child‘s best interests, and did not constitute error or an abuse of discretion.
{29} Accordingly, appellant‘s Second Assignment of Error is overruled.
III.
{30} In his Third Assignment of Error, appellant maintains she was deprived of the effective assistance of trial counsel.
{31} This Court has recognized “ineffective assistance” claims in permanent custody appeals. See, e.g., In re Utt Children, Stark App.No. 2003CA00196, 2003-Ohio-4576. However, we have not expanded the doctrine of ineffective assistance of counsel beyond criminal cases and those involving permanent custody. See In re Logwood, Guernsey App.No. 2004-CA-38, 2005-Ohio-3639, ¶ 26.
{32} The present case did not result in an order of permanent custody to MCCS as defined under
{33} For the reasons stated in the foregoing opinion, the decision of the Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, Muskingum County, Ohio, is hereby affirmed.
By: Wise, J.
Gwin, P. J., and
Baldwin, J., concur.
HON. JOHN W. WISE
HON. W. SCOTT GWIN
HON. CRAIG R. BALDWIN
JWW/d 0715
IN THE MATTER OF: W.A., JR.
JUDGMENT ENTRY
Case No. CT2013-0002
For the reasons stated in our accompanying Memorandum-Opinion, the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, Muskingum County, Ohio, is affirmed.
Costs assessed to appellant.
HON. JOHN W. WISE
HON. W. SCOTT GWIN
HON. CRAIG R. BALDWIN