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Case No. 23-0419

For summaries from opinions prior to August, 2018, view PDF versions here

In the Interest of R.P., Minor Child

County:
Linn

R.P., Mother-Appellant

Attorney for Appellant Mother

David R. Fiester

Attorney for Appellee State

Anagha Dixit, Assistant Attorney General

Guardian ad Litem

Kimberly Opatz

Court of Appeals

Court of Appeals Opinion

Opinion Number:
23-0419
Date Published:
May 24, 2023
Summary

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Linn County, Carrie K. Bryner, District Associate Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by Vaitheswaran, P.J., and Ahlers and Badding, JJ.  Opinion by Ahlers, J.  (6 pages)

            A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights.  She claims the juvenile court violated her federal due-process rights by holding the termination hearing in her absence and without appointing counsel.  She also challenges the juvenile court’s best-interest determination and claims the parent-child bond should preclude termination.  OPINION HOLDS: The mother’s due-process claim is not preserved.  Termination is in the child’s best interests.  The mother did not preserve her claim that a permissive exception based on a parent-child bond should be applied, and, even if she had preserved it, the mother did not establish that termination would be detrimental to the child due to the claimed bond.

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