IN RE SMITH MINORS
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
In the Matter of JAMES MICHAEL SMITH and
TRAVIS LEE SMITH, Minors.
FAMILY INDEPENDENCE AGENCY,
UNPUBLISHED
April 28, 2000
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
No. 220508
Wayne Circuit Court
Family Division
LC No. 97-353488
GERARD SZYMANSKI,
Respondent-Appellant,
and
MARY KATHRINE SMITH, a/k/a MARY
KATHRYN SMITH, and EDMOND JAMES,
Respondents.
Before: Cavanagh, P.J., and Sawyer and Zahra, JJ.
MEMORANDUM.
Respondent father appeals from an order of the probate court terminating his parental rights to
the minor child pursuant to MCL 712A.19b(3)(c)(i), (g) and (j); MSA 27.3178(598.19b)(3)(c)(i), (g)
and (j). We affirm.
In making a termination decision, the trial court must engage in a two-step analysis. First, it
must determine if a statutory ground for termination has been established by clear and convincing
evidence. Second, if a statutory ground has been established, the trial court must terminate parental
rights unless it finds that termination is clearly not in the child’s best interests. In re Hall-Smith, 222
Mich App 470, 472-473; 564 NW2d 156 (1997).
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In the case at bar, this Court has carefully reviewed the record on appeal, the opinion of the
probate court, and the briefs of the parties. We are not persuaded that the trial court erred in finding
that the statutory grounds for termination were met and that it was in the best interests of the child to
terminate the parental rights. Accordingly, we are not persuaded that the trial court clearly erred in
terminating respondents’ parental rights.
Affirmed.
/s/ Mark J. Cavanagh
/s/ David H. Sawyer
/s/ Brian K. Zahra
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