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In the Interest of E.C., Minor Child
E.M., Father-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Father
Gina C. Badding
Attorney for Appellee State
Anagha Dixit, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad litem
Karen L. Mailander
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Cass County, Amy L. Zacharias, District Associate Judge. REVERSED AND REMANDED. Considered by Potterfield, P.J., and Bower and McDonald, JJ. Opinion by Potterfield, P.J. (13 pages)
The father appeals the termination of his parental rights to his child, E.C. The juvenile court terminated the father’s parental rights pursuant to Iowa Code section 232.116(1)(d), (h), and (i) (2018). The father challenges the statutory grounds, maintains termination is not in E.C.’s best interests, and argues a permissive factor weighs against termination. He asks us to reverse the termination and return E.C. to his care but argues in the alternative that the juvenile court should have given him an extension of time to work toward reunification. OPINION HOLDS: Upon our de novo review of the record, there is not clear and convincing evidence to support any of the statutory grounds for termination. We reverse the juvenile court’s termination of the father’s parental rights to E.C. and remand for dismissal of the termination petition as to the father.
