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In the Interest of J.M. and C.M., Minor Children
M.P., Mother-Appellant
S.M., Father-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Cole J. Mayer
Attorney for Appellant Father
Tyler Phelan
Attorney for Appellee State
Mary A. Triick, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Karl Wolle
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Kimberly Ayotte, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered by Bower, C.J., and Vaitheswaran and Greer, JJ. Opinion by Vaitheswaran, J. (5 pages)
A father and mother separately appeal the termination of their parental rights to two children. The father contends (1) the juvenile court should have placed the children in a guardianship; (2) termination was not in the children’s best interests; and (3) the juvenile court should have invoked an exception to termination. The mother contends: (1) her due process rights were violated when the juvenile court denied her request for an in-person termination hearing; (2) the State failed to prove the grounds for termination cited by the juvenile court; (3) termination was not in the children’s best interests; (4) she should have been granted a six-month extension; and (5) the juvenile court should have invoked an exception to termination. OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the termination of the parents’ rights to the children.
