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In the Interest of L.E., E.E., and S.B., Minor Children
S.E., Father-Appellant
M.E., Mother-Appellant
L.E., Minor Child-Appellant
Attorney for Appellant Father
Jonathan M. Causey
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Nancy L. Pietz
Attorney for Appellant L.E.
Magdalena B. Reese
Attorney for Appellee State
Ellen Ramsey-Kacena, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Nicole Garbis Nolan
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 Vaitheswaran, P.J., and Tabor and Badding, JJ. Opinion by Badding, J. (19 pages)
A mother of three children and a father of two of those children separately appeal the termination of their parental rights, challenging each step in the termination framework and raising some ancillary issues. OPINION HOLDS: We find clear and convincing evidence that the State made reasonable efforts to reunify the children with these parents but, despite those efforts, grounds for termination exist under Iowa Code section 232.116(1)(f) (2021). We further find that termination is in the children’s best interests and that no permissive exception should be applied to preclude that result. We agree with the juvenile court’s rejection of a guardianship for the oldest child and its denial of the mother’s request for additional time. Finally, we conclude that if any error occurred in the court’s denial of intervention, it was not prejudicial to the father. The court’s ruling is affirmed as to both parents.