In the Interest of J.V., A.V. and A.V.
J.V., Father-Appellant
J.F., Mother-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Father
Jane M. Wright
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Theodore J. Hovda
Attorney for Appellee State
Kathryn K. Lang, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Carrie Jean Rodriguez
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Hancock County, Karen Kaufman Salic, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Bower, C.J., and Vaitheswaran and Schumacher, JJ. Opinion by Vaitheswaran, J. (6 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal from the termination of their parental rights. The mother contends (1) the State failed to prove the child could not be returned to her care; (2) termination was not in the child’s best interests; and (3) the district court should have invoked an exception to termination based on the parent-child bond. The father (1) challenges the State’s evidence supporting the grounds for termination, including proof that adjudicatory harm still existed; (2) argues termination was not in the children’s best interests; and (3) challenges the State’s failure to provide and file certain documents before the State filed its termination-of-parental-rights petition. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm.