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Case No. 22-0028

In the Interest of J.S., Minor Child

T.P., Mother-Appellee

J.S., Father-Appellant

Attorney for Appellee Mother

Kelsey Bauerly Langel

Attorney for Appellant Father

John S. Moeller

Guardian ad Litem

Missy Clabaugh

Court of Appeals

Court of Appeals Opinion

Opinion Number:
22-0028
Date Published:
Jul 20, 2022
Summary

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Plymouth County, Daniel Vakulskas, District Associate Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by May, P.J., and Greer and Chicchelly, JJ.  Opinion by Greer, J.  (9 pages)

            The district court granted the mother’s petition to terminate the father’s parental rights to J.S., born in 2016, in a private termination action.  The court concluded the grounds for termination were satisfied under Iowa Code section 600A.8(3)(b) (abandonment) and (4) (failure to contribute) (2021).  The father appeals the termination, arguing he did not abandon J.S. and termination of his parental rights is not in J.S.’s best interests.  OPINION HOLDS: The father does not challenge the district court’s determination he failed to contribute to J.S. as ordered, so he has waived any alleged error to that ground and we conclude the mother proved the ground for termination under section 600A.8(4).  Like the district court, we find that termination of the father’s rights is in the child’s best interests.  We affirm.

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