In appeal no. 2140911, W.A.T. (“the father”) appeals from a judgment entered by the Marengo Juvenile Court (“the juvenile court”) terminating his parental rights to A.T. (“the child”). In appeal no. 2140910, T.T. (“the paternal grandmother”) appeals
Procedural History
On June 8, 2015, C.E. and T.E. filed a petition seeking to terminate the parental rights of N.B. (“the mother”) and the father.
“[The] Motion to Intervene was filed on July 21, 2015, two minutes before the hearing started. The paternal grandmother was in Court on June 26, 2015, when the final hearing was set for July 21, 2015, and delayed filing same until the day of said hearing. Finally, the Court has twice considered the paternal grandmother as a viable custodian for [the child], and denied same. Likewise, the Marengo County Department of Human Resources has also considered her, and recommended against same.”
Discussion
Appeal No. 2U0911
On appeal, the father argues that the termination judgment was not supported by sufficient evidence.
“‘A juvenile court is required to apply a two-pronged test in determining whether to terminate parental rights: (1) clear and convincing evidence must support a finding that the child is dependent; and (2) the court must properly consider and reject all viable alternatives to a termination of parental rights. Ex parte Beasley,564 So.2d 950 , 954 (Ala.1990).’
“B.M. v. State,895 So.2d 319 , 331 (Ala.Civ.App.2004). A juvenile court’s judgment terminating parental rights must be supported by clear and convincing evidence. Bowman v. State Dep’t of Human Res.,534 So.2d 304 , 305 (Ala.Civ.App.1988), ‘Clear and convincing evidence’ is ‘ “[e]vidence that, when weighed against evidence in opposition, will produce in the mind of the trier of fact a firm conviction as to each essential element of the claim and a high probability as to the correctness of the conclusion.”’ L.M. v. D.D.F.,840 So.2d 171 , 179 (Ala.Civ.App.2002) (quoting Ala. Code 1975, § 6-ll~20(b)(4)); see also Ex parte McInish,47 So.3d 767 (Ala.2008) (explaining standard of review of factual determinations required to be based on clear and convincing evidence). A juvenile court’s factual findings in a judgment terminating parental rights based on evidence presented ore tenus are presumed correct. R.B. v. State Dep’t of Human Res.,669 So.2d 187 (Ala.Civ.App.1995).”
Section -12-15-319, Ala.Code 1975, provides, in pertinent part:
“(a) If the juvenile court finds -from clear and convincing evidence, competent, material, and relevant in nature, that the parent[ ] of a child [is] unable or unwilling to discharge [his or her] responsibilities to and for the child, or that the conduct or condition of the parent[ ] renders [him or her] unable to properly care for the child and that the conduct or condition is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future, it may terminate the parental rights of the parent[ ]. In determining whether or not the parents are unable or unwilling to discharge their responsibilities to and for the child and to terminate the parental rights, the Juvenile court shall consider the following factors including, but not limited to, the following:
“(1) That the parents have abandoned the child, provided that in these cases, proof shall not be required of reasonable efforts to prevent removal or reunite the child with the parents.”
In the present case, the father testified that the Marengo County Department of Human Resources (“DHR”) had initially taken the child from the parents when the child was four months old; the child was almost three years old at the time of the trial. Ginny Westbrook, a DHR social-service caseworker, testified that, since she was assigned the child’s case in January 2015, she had attempted to contact the father to ,no avail. She testified that, despite the father’s having, been made aware that DHR had legal custody of the child, he had not attempted to contact her to obtain visitation with the child. Based on the foregoing, the juvenile court - could have been clearly convinced that the father had abandoned the child and that he was unable or unwilling to discharge his parental .responsibilities to and for the child. See § 12-15-301(1), Ala.Code 1975 (defining “abandonment”). Accordingly, we cannot conclude that, the juvenile court erred in determining that the child was dependent, i.e;, that there1 existed grounds to terminate the father’s parental rights. See Ex parte T.V.,
“[B]y abandoning [his] child, [the father], ‘lost any due-process rights that would have required the juvenile court to explore other alternatives before terminating [his] parental rights.’” L.L. v. J.W.,
The father also argues that the juvenile court erred in admitting certain exhibits into evidence. • However, the father waived his right to raise this issue on appeal because he did not object when the juvenile, court admitted the exhibits during the trial. See S.S. v. Jefferson Cty. Dep’t of Human Res.,
Appeal No. 2U0910
On appeal, the paternal grandmother argues that the juvenile court erred in denying her motion to intervene. She claims that she had an unconditional right to intervene pursuant to Ala.Code 1975, § 30-3-4.1. That Code section provides grandparents a right to intervene in a termination-of-parental-rights proceeding to seek visitation. Even if that entire statute had not been declared unconstitutional, see Weldon v. Ballow,
Conclusion
Based on the foregoing, the juvenile court’s judgment terminating the father’s parental rights to the child and denying the paternal grandmother’s motion to intervene is affirmed.
2140910—AFFIRMED.
2140911—AFFIRMED.
THOMAS, J., concurs in the result, without writing.
Notes
. The mother signed a consent to the termination of her parental rights; she has not appealed.
