In the Interest of D.W. and I.W., Minor Children
J.A., Father-Appellant
Y.A., Mother-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Father
Kelsey Knight
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Matthew Mauk
Attorney for Appellee State
Mary A. Triick, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Emily Kathleen Deronde
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Boone County, James B. Malloy, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Schumacher, P.J., and Chicchelly and Buller, JJ. Opinion by Chicchelly, J. (9 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their parental rights to two children. OPINION HOLDS: I. Clear and convincing evidence shows the children could not be returned to the parents’ custody at the time of the termination hearing. II. Even assuming the mother preserved error on her reasonable-efforts claim, she cannot show the brief interruption in services one year before the termination hearing prevented the children from being returned to her custody. III. Termination of the mother and father’s parental rights, not a long-term guardianship, serves the children’s best interests.
