Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0665
View Summary for Case No. 23-0665
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Hamilton County, Hans Becker, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Bower, C.J., Buller, J., and Scott, S.J. Opinion by Scott, S.J. (13 pages)
F.Y., who is the father of P.S., and the mother of all three children separately appeal the termination of their parental rights. F.Y. claims termination of his parental rights is not in the child’s best interests. The mother contends she should have been granted a six-month extension to seek reunification, termination of her parental rights is not in the children’s best interests, and her bond with the children should provide a basis to avoid termination. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm on both appeals.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0729
View Summary for Case No. 23-0729
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Scott County, Cheryl E. Traum, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Bower, C.J., and Tabor and Greer, JJ. Opinion by Tabor, J. (6 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their parental rights. The mother contends the State did not prove a statutory ground for termination nor that termination was in the children’s best interests. She also argues that the State did not make reasonable efforts to reunite her family. In his appeal, the father of the oldest child lobbies to place J.C. in a guardianship and argues that preserving his parental rights is in his son’s best interests. OPINION HOLDS: Finding no cause for reversal in either parent’s arguments, we affirm the termination order.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0759
View Summary for Case No. 23-0759
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Susan Cox, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Greer, P.J., and Schumacher and Badding, JJ. Opinion by Badding, J. (10 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the modification of a dispositional order transferring placement of their children. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm, finding modification of the dispositional order was appropriate under Iowa Code section 232.103(4) (2023) and in the children’s best interests.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0774
View Summary for Case No. 23-0774
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Des Moines County, Emily Dean, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Schumacher, P.J., Badding, J., and Danilson, S.J. Opinion by Danilson, S.J. (8 pages)
A mother appeals from the termination of her parental rights to her children. She contends the State failed to prove the grounds for termination cited by the juvenile court, termination was not in the children’s best interests, and she should have been granted additional time to work toward reunification. OPINION HOLDS: Upon our review, we affirm.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0775
View Summary for Case No. 23-0775
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Kimberly Ayotte, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Bower, C.J., Ahlers, J., and Danilson, S.J. Opinion by Danilson, S.J. (6 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to her children. She contends she should have been granted additional time to work toward reunification and termination was not in the children’s best interests. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the termination of the mother’s parental rights.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0828
View Summary for Case No. 23-0828
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Johnson County, Joan M. Black, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Greer, P.J., and Schumacher and Badding, JJ. Opinion by Greer, P.J. (12 pages)
A mother of a thirteen-month-old with significant medical needs appeals the termination of her parental rights. OPINION HOLDS: Finding the mother did not preserve error on her right-to-counsel claim and that the best interests of the child supports termination and is not overcome by the permissive exception or the option of a limited guardianship, we affirm the decision of the juvenile court terminating parental rights.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0889
View Summary for Case No. 23-0889
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Linn County, Cynthia S. Finley, District Associate Judge. MOTHER'S APPEAL DISMISSED, AFFIRMED ON FATHER'S APPEAL. Considered by Tabor, P.J., Buller, J., and Vogel, S.J. Opinion by Vogel, S.J. (6 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their parental rights. OPINION HOLDS: We dismiss the mother’s appeal as untimely. The father’s challenge to the services provided to him is not preserved for our review, termination of his parental rights is in the child’s best interests, and we reject any other arguments he raises.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0903
View Summary for Case No. 23-0903
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Cerro Gordo County, Adam D. Sauer, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Greer, P.J., and Schumacher and Badding, JJ. Opinion by Badding, J. (8 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights to her child. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the termination of the mother’s parental rights.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0904
View Summary for Case No. 23-0904
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Wapello County, William S. Owens, Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Greer, P.J., and Schumacher and Badding, JJ. Opinion by Schumacher, J. (7 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights. OPINION HOLDS: The mother did not preserve error on her claim the State did not engage in reasonable efforts to reunite her with her child. Also, placing the child in a guardianship with a relative is not in the child’s best interests. The child’s best interests are met by termination of the mother’s parental rights and adoption. We affirm the juvenile court’s decision.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0907
View Summary for Case No. 23-0907
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Dubuque County, Thomas J. Straka, Associate Juvenile Judge. AFFIRMED ON MOTHER’S APPEAL; REVERSED AND REMANDED ON FATHER’S APPEAL. Considered by Tabor, P.J., Buller, J., and Blane, S.J. Opinion by Blane, S.J. Partial Dissent by Buller, J. (13 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their parental rights. Both argue for extensions and that it was not in the child’s best interests to terminate their rights. The mother also claims her bond with the child should preclude termination. OPINION HOLDS: We find no grounds to reverse termination as to the mother. But we find the father should receive another six months to work toward reunification with the child. PARTIAL DISSENT ASSERTS: Because I do not find a sufficient basis to reverse the juvenile court’s denial of the father’s request for a six-month extension, I dissent from that portion of the majority opinion.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0937
View Summary for Case No. 23-0937
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Linn County, Carrie Bryner, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Greer, P.J., and Schumacher and Badding, JJ. Opinion by Schumacher, J. (7 pages)
A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights. She claims that the State failed to prove a ground for termination, that termination is not in the best interests of the child, and that her close bond with the child should prevent termination. OPINION HOLDS: We find the State established a ground for termination by clear and convincing evidence. We also find that termination is in the child’s best interests and that the parent-child bond is insufficient to preclude termination. We affirm.
Filed Aug 30, 2023
View Opinion No. 23-0952
View Summary for Case No. 23-0952
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Cerro Gordo County, Adam D. Sauer, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Tabor, P.J., Buller, J., and Gamble, S.J. Opinion by Gamble, S.J. (6 pages)
A father appeals the termination of his parental rights. He argues termination is not in the child’s best interests, requests a permissive exception to termination be applied, and seeks additional time to work toward reunification. OPINION HOLDS: Termination is in the child’s best interests. We decline to apply a permissive exception to termination, and we do not grant the father any additional time to work toward reunification.