Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1219
View Summary for Case No. 20-1219
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Black Hawk County, Stephen C. Clarke, Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Bower, C.J., Schumacher, J., and Gamble, S.J. Opinion by Gamble, S.J. (9 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to her two children. A father separately appeals the termination of his parental rights to his child. OPINION HOLDS: A statutory ground authorized termination with respect to both parents. We reject the mother’s claim that termination is not in the children’s best interests. And neither parent is entitled to additional time to work toward reunification.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1271
View Summary for Case No. 20-1271
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Madison County, Brendan Greiner, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Mullins, P.J., and May and Schumacher, JJ. Opinion by Mullins, P.J. (10 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their parental rights to their children. The mother challenges the sufficiency of evidence supporting the statutory ground for termination and argues termination is contrary to the children’s best interests due to the closeness of the parent-child bond. The father claims he was not offered reasonable efforts at reunification, argues termination is contrary to his children’s best interests, and requests the establishment of a guardianship in lieu of termination. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the termination of both parents’ parental rights.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1312
View Summary for Case No. 20-1312
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Mahaska County, Rose Anne Mefford, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Doyle, P.J., Tabor, J., and Mahan, S.J. Opinion by Mahan, S.J. (8 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to her children, born in 2015 and 2018. She contends the State failed to prove the grounds for termination cited by the juvenile court, the department of human services failed to make reasonable efforts toward reunification, and termination was not in the children’s best interests. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the decision of the juvenile court to terminate the mother’s parental rights.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1336
View Summary for Case No. 20-1336
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Kimberly Ayotte, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Greer, P.J., Ahlers, J., and Danilson, S.J. Opinion by Danilson, S.J. (7 pages)
A mother appeals the juvenile court decision terminating her parental rights. OPINION HOLDS: We find there is clear and convincing evidence in the record to support termination of the mother’s parental rights. Also, termination of her parental rights is in the children’s best interests; an extension of time would not be in their best interests. Additionally, we agree with the juvenile court that none of the exceptions to termination should be applied in this case. We affirm the decision of the juvenile court.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1348
View Summary for Case No. 20-1348
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Tama County, Angie Johnston, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Vaitheswaran, P.J., and Tabor and Ahlers, JJ. Opinion by Tabor, J. (10 pages)
A father appeals from the juvenile court order adjudicating his two children in need of assistance. He claims the State failed to prove the grounds for adjudication under Iowa Code section 232.2(6)(c)(2), (n), and (p) (2020). He also argues the juvenile court should have dismissed the adjudication order at a later proceeding. OPINION HOLDS: Because the record contains clear and convincing evidence supporting all three grounds of adjudication, we affirm the juvenile court’s ruling. We also affirm the court’s dispositional order.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1367
View Summary for Case No. 20-1367
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, Mark C. Cord III, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Vaitheswaran, P.J., May, J., and Vogel, S.J. Opinion by Vogel, S.J. (10 pages)
A father and mother separately appeal the termination of their parental rights. OPINION HOLDS: We find the statutory grounds for termination are met as the child cannot be returned to either parent within a reasonable period of time. We further find, even if the father preserved error on his claim under the Indian Child Welfare Act, the State made active efforts to avoid termination. Therefore, we affirm the termination of both parents’ parental rights.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1395
View Summary for Case No. 20-1395
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Allamakee County, Linnea M.N. Nicol, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Bower C.J., May, J., and Gamble, S.J. Opinion by Gamble, S.J. (7 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights. OPINION HOLDS: The juvenile court did not abuse its discretion when it denied the mother’s motion to reopen the record. A statutory ground authorizes termination, and termination is in the children’s best interests.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1418
View Summary for Case No. 20-1418
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Romonda Belcher, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Mullins, P.J., Schumacher, J., and Mahan, S.J. Opinion by Mahan, S.J. (2 pages)
A mother appeals a permanency order establishing a guardianship over her children, contending the juvenile court erred in failing to grant her a six-month extension to work toward reunification. OPINION HOLDS: Upon our review, we affirm.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1440
View Summary for Case No. 20-1440
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Clinton County, Phillip J. Tabor, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Mullins, P.J., and May and Schumacher, JJ. Tabor, J., takes no part. Opinion by Schumacher, J. (9 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their parental rights to their two sons. OPINION HOLDS: We find the record contains clear and convincing evidence to support termination under a ground relied on by the district court as to each parent. We further find a bond between the father and his sons should not prevent termination under Iowa Code section 232.116(3) (2020).
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1443
View Summary for Case No. 20-1443
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Lynn Poschner, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Tabor, P.J., Ahlers, J., and Scott, S.J. Opinion by Scott, S.J. (6 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to her child, born in 2019, pursuant to Iowa Code section 232.116(1)(e), (g), and (h) (2020). She challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the grounds for termination, argues termination is contrary to the child’s best interests, and requests a six-month extension to work toward reunification. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the termination of the mother’s parental rights.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1451
View Summary for Case No. 20-1451
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Lynn Poschner, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Bower, C.J., and Vaitheswaran and Ahlers, JJ. Opinion by Bower, C.J. (6 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to X.C. OPINION HOLDS: Because termination of the mother’s parental rights is in the child’s best interests and no permissive factor weighs against termination, we affirm.
Filed Jan 21, 2021
View Opinion No. 20-1512
View Summary for Case No. 20-1512
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Clarke County, Monty Franklin, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Bower, C.J., and Vaitheswaran and Greer, JJ. Opinion by Vaitheswaran, J. (4 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their parental rights to their child, arguing (1) termination was not in the child’s best interests and (2) the court should have invoked an exception to termination based on the child’s placement with a relative. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the termination of parental rights to the child.