D.D. v. Calhoun County Department of Human Resources

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REL: 09/23/2011 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS SPECIAL TERM, 2011 2100709 D.D. v. Calhoun County Department o f Human Resources Appeal from Calhoun J u v e n i l e Court (JU-05-429.04 & JU-05-430.04) THOMAS, Judge. On J u n e 2 5 , 2 0 1 0 , t h e C a l h o u n C o u n t y D e p a r t m e n t o f Human Resources the ("DHR") f i l e d parental father") to rights M.L.P. petitions o f D.D. and seeking thetermination of ("themother") T.L.P. The a n d F.P. petition ("the seeking 2100709 termination of the p a r e n t s ' r i g h t s number JU-05-429.04; assigned moved case number to perfect juvenile court granted termination was h e l d i n D e c e m b e r appeared at however, d i d appear After the the t r i a l , number petition regarding JU-05-430.04. service m o t h e r was a p p o i n t e d The the t o M.L.P. was a s s i g n e d on that On A u g u s t the mother motion T.L.P. 1 7 , 2 0 1 0 , DHR by p u b l i c a t i o n ; the on A u g u s t trial regarding 2010. Neither and the both 2 3 , 2 0 1 0 . The mother's the j u v e n i l e court terminating M.L.P. and T.L.P. the mother nor the f a t h e r represented t h e m o t h e r t o M.L.P. o n J a n u a r y appointed the mother entered at an o r d e r the parental 12, 2011. counsel, rights That order trial. i n case of with the petition i n c a s e number JU-05-429.04 who h a d n o t b e e n served January a t t h e time with the petition o f t h e December 12, 2011, o r d e r i n case served i n J u l y 2010 b u t i n case 2010 t r i a l . number only d i d not a d d r e s s t h e p a r e n t a l r i g h t s o f t h e f a t h e r , who h a d b e e n 05-430.04 was counsel. trial; JU-05-429.04 case 1 number J U Thus, t h e JU-05-429.04, which The t r a n s c r i p t r e f l e c t s t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s i n t e n t i o n t o e n t e r a j u d g m e n t t e r m i n a t i n g t h e r i g h t s o f t h e f a t h e r , who w a s i n c a r c e r a t e d a t t h e t i m e o f t h e December 2010 t r i a l , as s o o n as p r o p e r s e r v i c e was p e r f e c t e d upon h i m i n c a s e number J U - 0 5 430 . 0 4 . 1 2 2100709 failed to adjudicate c o u r t , was a l l claims not a f i n a l Dep't o f Human R e s . , 2009) (dismissing nonfinal adjudicated parental The judgment. 32 an judgment So. a pending father to entered an o r d e r On i n case parental So. March taken from a court had of the father's not same 21, the p e t i t i o n On M a r c h 1 5 , i n case rights number of the mother date, the parental rights number JU-05-430.04; was the not a issue in 2011, JU-05- and the juvenile the adjudicate rights, 3d a t court of only that order, regarding final judgment. court entered the the See 1290-91. 2011, orders") and t h e March and a judgment that to with i n J a n u a r y 2011. the parental i t failed ("the s e t - a s i d e 429.04 juvenile served terminating T.L.P. P.D.S., 32 order the Cnty. ( A l a . C i v . App. been for termination M.L.P. to On having claim entered 429.04 t e r m i n a t i n g father's 1290-91 subsequently f a t h e r was because the j u v e n i l e rights). j u v e n i l e court mother as because before S e e P.D.S. v . M a r s h a l l 3d 1288, appeal c a s e number JU-05-430.04 the pending the setting 15, 2011, the March 15, juvenile aside judgment 2011, 3 order the January 12, i n c a s e number i n case number orders 2011, JU-05JU-05- 2100709 430.04. in No motion either s e e k i n g s u c h a c t i o n was case, but the set-aside f i l e d by any orders party state that u n s p e c i f i e d c l e r i c a l e r r o r s i n t h e e a r l i e r o r d e r s and judgment had been by DHR. Also on in case brought March to 21, the 2011, juvenile the court's juvenile attention court entered number JU-05-429.04 a j u d g m e n t t e r m i n a t i n g t h e p a r e n t a l of the also mother and e n t e r e d on the that 430.04 t e r m i n a t i n g T.L.P.; that father juvenile court same d a t e an o r d e r i n c a s e n u m b e r JU-05- the p a r e n t a l order, like n u m b e r J U - 0 5 - 4 3 0 . 0 4 , was So. 2d at t o M.L.P. the rights March not a f i n a l The of o n l y 15, 2011, judgment. R u l e 5 9 , A l a . R. the March operation the mother order See in to case P.D.S., 32 1290-91. The m o t h e r f i l e d a t i m e l y p o s t j u d g m e n t to rights C i v . P., 21, of law. motion pursuant to i n c a s e number JU-05-429.04 2011, judgment. See R u l e 59.1, 2 That A l a . R. motion was C i v . P.; directed denied by Rule 1(B), T h e m o t h e r a l s o f i l e d w h a t p u r p o r t s t o be a p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n d i r e c t e d t o t h e o r d e r i n c a s e number JU-05-430.04; h o w e v e r , b e c a u s e t h e March 21, 2011, o r d e r i n c a s e number JU0 5 - 4 3 0 . 0 4 was n o t a f i n a l j u d g m e n t , a n d b e c a u s e a " ' R u l e 59 m o t i o n may be made o n l y i n r e f e r e n c e t o a f i n a l j u d g m e n t , ' " E x p a r t e T r o u t m a n S a n d e r s , L L P , 866 So. 2 d 5 4 7 , 550 ( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) ( q u o t i n g M a l o n e v . G a i n e y , 726 So. 2 d 7 2 5 , 725 n.2 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1 9 9 9 ) ) , t h e m o t h e r ' s m o t i o n i n c a s e number JU-05-430.04 was n o t a p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n . 2 4 2100709 Ala. R. J u v . P. The m o t h e r t h e n a p p e a l e d t h e j u d g m e n t i n c a s e number JU-05-429.04 to this court. and t h e o r d e r She 3 argues i n c a s e number t h a t DHR had not e s t a b l i s h e d s e r v i c e b y p u b l i c a t i o n was p r o p e r a n d , t h u s , court had erred publication; case permitting therefore, service the mother number JU-05-429.04 430.04 and t h e o r d e r At by the certain that the mother's outset, this conclude that court March on effective as court the 21, of the mother by the judgment i n i n c a s e number jurisdiction. our We JU-05are not customary review has j u r i s d i c t i o n set-aside to set aside of argument. part 2011, that that the j u v e n i l e contends, are v o i d f o r l a c k of personal convinced in by JU-05-430.04 over order entered case number in the j u v e n i l e court's c a s e number J U - 0 5 - 4 2 9 . 0 4 . 4 The this by be appeal, we the juvenile JU-05-429.04 earlier juvenile court's The f a t h e r d i d not appeal the t e r m i n a t i o n t o M.L.P. i n c a s e n u m b e r J U - 0 5 - 4 2 9 . 0 4 . 3 to was judgment March 21, of h i s r i g h t s We n o t e t h a t t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t was n o t r e q u i r e d t o s e t a s i d e i t s M a r c h 15, 2011, j u d g m e n t i n c a s e number JU-05-429.04 i n o r d e r t o c o r r e c t mere c l e r i c a l e r r o r s . The j u v e n i l e c o u r t had t h e power t o c o r r e c t any c l e r i c a l e r r o r s i n i t s judgment p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 6 0 ( a ) , A l a . R. C i v . P. An o r d e r c o r r e c t i n g a c l e r i c a l e r r o r i n a judgment p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 6 0 ( a ) does not a f f e c t t h e f i n a l i t y o f t h e o r i g i n a l judgment and does n o t t o l l t h e t i m e f o r t a k i n g an a p p e a l . L e v i n e v. M a l a g a R e s t . , I n c . , 501 So. 2 d 1 2 3 1 , 1233 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1987) ( q u o t i n g B a r r i s v . 4 5 2100709 2011, set-aside effective to terminating order set the in aside the mother's i t s own applicable American Gen. 1999)) juvenile-court v. K i t t l e , 770 of (providing to be So. 2d the judgment regarding judgment See 212, 2d 1090, ( " R u l e 59 l i k e w i s e a l l o w s M.L.P. 215 1091 a trial n.1 Pierce within (Ala.C i v . court to alter, s u a s p o n t e w i t h i n 30 d a y s o f t h e " ) ; Rule court). jurisdiction 14 In to modify days after addition, the v. ( A l a . 2008) 1 ( B ) , A l a . R. Juv. t h a t p o s t j u d g m e n t m o t i o n s p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 59 brought juvenile rights 2011, judgments. So. amend, o r v a c a t e i t s j u d g m e n t entry 15, was t h e 14-day p o s t j u d g m e n t p e r i o d F i n . , I n c . , 991 ( c i t i n g Ennis App. March JU-05-429.04 r e t a i n s t h e power t o m o d i f y o r s e t judgments d u r i n g to number parental because the j u v e n i l e court aside case entry the J a n u a r y 12, of a juvenile 2011, P. are judgment in court had order i n case B o b ' s D r a g C h u t e s & S a f e t y E q u i p . , 717 F . 2 d 5 2 , 55 ( 3 r d C i r . 1983)). "The amendment [ t o c o r r e c t a c l e r i c a l e r r o r ] r e l a t e s b a c k t o t h e o r i g i n a l judgment and becomes a p a r t o f i t . " Bergen-Patterson, I n c . v . N a y l o r , 701 S o . 2 d 8 2 6 , 829 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1 9 9 7 ) . However, i n i t s March 21, 2011, s e t - a s i d e o r d e r , t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t s p e c i f i c a l l y s e t a s i d e t h e M a r c h 15, 2011, judgment, and, as e x p l a i n e d i n t h e t e x t o f t h i s o p i n i o n , i t c l e a r l y h a d t h e a u t h o r i t y t o do s o . A c c o r d i n g l y , we w i l l n o t t r e a t t h e M a r c h 21, 2011, j u d g m e n t i n c a s e number JU-05429.04 as a c o r r e c t e d judgment u n d e r R u l e 6 0 ( a ) . 6 2100709 n u m b e r J U - 0 5 - 4 2 9.04, d e s p i t e t h e f a c t t h a t i t had been two and t h e March months earlier, 15, 2011, o r d e r number J U - 0 5 - 4 3 0 . 0 4 ; as n o t e d a b o v e , n e i t h e r o r d e r judgment rights because of the terminate. each father, See interlocutory order P.D.S., orders failed whose were t o address rights 32 entered So. 3d subject DHR at i n case was a final the parental also sought 1290-91. to Those t o r e v i s i o n a t any time. R h e a m s v . R h e a m s , 378 S o . 2 d 1 1 2 5 , 1 1 2 8 ( A l a . C i v . A p p . 1 9 7 9 ) ("An i n t e r l o c u t o r y j u d g m e n t i s s u b j e c t time before final However, the t o m o d i f i c a t i o n a t any judgment."). because mother's p a r e n t a l t h e March 21, 2011, order r i g h t s t o T.L.P. i n c a s e number 430.04 a l s o f a i l s t o a d d r e s s t h e i s s u e r e g a r d i n g r i g h t s of the father, that order See JU-05- the parental i s also not a f i n a l judgment. P.D.S., 32 S o . 3 d a t 1 2 9 1 . T h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t ' s M a r c h 2 1 , 2011, order capable of Accordingly, is terminating from i n case number supporting an we m u s t d i s m i s s the juvenile number JU-05-430.04. JU-05-430.04 appeal to this i s therefore court. not See i d . t h e mother's appeal i n s o f a r as i t court's March See i d . 7 21, 2011, order i n case 2100709 We March can, 21, however, 2011, address judgment the mother's terminating appeal from her p a r e n t a l r i g h t s to That judgment M.L.P. i n c a s e n u m b e r J U - 0 5 - 4 2 9 . 0 4 . terminated the p a r e n t a l r i g h t s o f b o t h t h e mother and t h e f a t h e r , resolving a l l the claims See P . B . v . P.C., pending the before 946 S o . 2 d 8 9 6 , 898 the j u v e n i l e ( A l a . C i v . App. thereby court. 2006). In the mother's t i m e l y postjudgment motion c h a l l e n g i n g the March 21, 2011, judgment t e r m i n a t i n g in case number her parental JU-05-429.04, the r i g h t s t o M.L.P. mother challenged s u f f i c i e n c y of the evidence to support the termination parental the r i g h t s and a r g u e d t h a t trial The that serve she had n o t been n o t i f i e d mother a r g u e s on by appeal p u b l i c a t i o n was in i t saffidavit that DHR proper i n support because t h e mother by p u b l i c a t i o n what e f f o r t s points improper. trial, proceedings that i t d i d not service However, as a t any p o i n t by to i t h a d made t o service. out, the mother never a s s e r t e d juvenile-court 2010 of d i d not e s t a b l i s h of i t smotion seeking l o c a t e the mother's address f o r personal DHR of her date. service explain the i n the publication was A l t h o u g h t h e mother d i d n o t a p p e a r a t t h e December the mother's attorney 8 a p p e a r e d on h e r b e h a l f and 2100709 did not lodge jurisdiction at the juvenile any of the at specifically s e r v i c e ; the i n the to service trial. The notice of challenge the may be waived dismiss or in the amendment general Kingvision (Ala. 2003) (Iowa 1972)) See later i n the trial, regarding d i d not date; however, or not responsive a party in any raised Ala. not service of motion a pleading to or R. e i t h e r i n person Ltd. v. v. Ayers, 886 a Lonning, 199 a p a r t y a p p e a r s i n p e r s o n o r by to the a t t o r n e y he court.'"). 9 An proper Civ. or So. P. through 2d A an process. 45, 53 60, 62 of n o t i c e and N.W.2d appearance i s a waiver the its i t did improper raised 12(h)(1), if of the process. Rule general the interpose p u b l i c a t i o n at s e r v i c e of Lonning fact, stated that DHR by In o b j e c t i o n to improper s e r v i c e of (quoting jurisdiction trial attorney insufficient Pay-Per-View, ("'A trial i f i t is a p p e a r a n c e by the process of first thereto. a t t o r n e y w a i v e s any the to process court's the proceeding. questioned of sufficiency as juvenile mother's postjudgment motion of argument the and, mother's issue An to someone a t been p r o p e r l y served, objection point trial, court attempts objection over the mother d u r i n g outset mother had any submits appearance himself may be 2100709 made b y f i l i n g of a pleading appearing 49 a n a n s w e r o r o t h e r p l e a d i n g , i d . ("'The i s a general f o r and p a r t i c i p a t i n g S o . 3d 1 1 9 0 , 1 1 9 7 [the Alabama that a d e f e n d a n t may w a i v e in proceedings raise an waived had not defects v. M i l t o n , the the appellant f i r s t time after the entry defense); 2006) the f a i l u r e to challenge attorney's the failure at the to trial See ( A l a . C i v . App. 2010) service of process appeared before the t r i a l at court against her waived the 975 S o . 2 d 9 2 7 , 9 3 7 - 3 8 ( A l a . C i v . App. ( d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t a n a d o p t i v e c o u p l e who a p p e a r e d i n a n d r a i s e d the issue of i n s u f f i c i e n c y of proper proper in i t on a p p e a l . p a r t i c i p a t e d i n the j u v e n i l e - c o u r t proceedings until voluntarily participated consider o f a d e f a u l t judgment D.B. v . M.A., " i t i s true that the parties of process 47 S o . 3 d 8 1 7 , 821 that that i n s e r v i c e by or service (holding B o u d r e a u x v . Kemp, but concluding i s s u e , a n d we c a n n o t voluntarily has p r e v i o u s l y acknowledged The m o t h e r ' s regarding or by (stating appeared at issue). issue that Klaeser Supreme] C o u r t i n the proceedings" question in trial. ( A l a . 2010) that appearing appearance.'"), filing their postjudgment service of process motion service of process had waived and c o u l d n o t r a i s e 10 a n d who h a d n o t their right to t h e a r g u m e n t on 2100709 appeal). The m o t h e r therefore, t h e March mother's p a r e n t a l is makes 21, no f u r t h e r arguments 2011, judgment on a p p e a l ; terminating r i g h t s t o M.L.P. i n c a s e n u m b e r JU-05-429.04 affirmed. A F F I R M E D AS TO CASE NUMBER J U - 0 5 - 4 2 9 . 0 4 ; A P P E A L AS the TO CASE NUMBER Thompson, DISMISSED JU-05-430.04. P.J., and Pittman and Bryan, Moore, J . , c o n c u r s i n the result, 11 J J . , concur. without writing.

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