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In the Interest of B.M., Minor Child
B.M. Sr., Father-Appellant,
J.S., Mother-Appellant.
Attorney for Appellant Father
B.M. Sr., self-represented
Attorney for Appellant Mother
Lynn Vogan
Attorney for Appellee State
Mackenzie L. Moran, Assistant Attorney General
Guardian ad Litem
Teresa Pope
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, The Honorable Kimberly Ayotte, Judge. AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS. Considered without oral argument by Tabor, C.J., and Badding and Langholz, JJ. Opinion by Langholz, J. (8 pages)
A mother and father separately appeal the termination of their parental rights to their son. The mother argues that termination of her parental rights is not in the son’s best interest. In his petition on appeal and many other appellate motions, the father challenges jurisdiction and generally assails the legitimacy of both the child-in-need-of-assistance and termination proceedings. OPINION HOLDS: On our de novo review, we affirm both terminations. We will not delay permanency for the son while the mother travels the long road of imprisonment and recovery. As for the father, we have carefully reviewed the record and find no jurisdictional, statutory, or evidentiary errors that require reversal. And we agree that the State proved that termination was warranted and in the son’s best interest.