IN RE MICHAEL PERRY MINOR
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
In the Matter of MICHAEL PERRY, Minor.
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES,
UNPUBLISHED
October 25, 2007
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
No. 278311
Jackson Circuit Court
Family Division
LC No. 96-019130-NA
PAULA PERRY,
Respondent-Appellant,
and
RICHARD BOODY,
Respondent.
Before: Zahra, P.J., and White and O’Connell, JJ.
MEMORANDUM.
Respondent-appellant appeals as of right the order of the trial court terminating her
parental rights to her minor child pursuant to MCL 712A.19b(3)(a)(ii), (i), (j), and (l). We
affirm.
The trial court’s finding that termination was warranted under subsection (3)(j) is
supported by ample evidence on the record regarding respondent-appellant’s ongoing drug use,
homelessness, and criminality. Termination of respondent-appellant’s parental rights under
subsection (3)(l) is also warranted because it is undisputed that respondent-appellant’s parental
rights were previously terminated to another child within the meaning of that subsection. In light
of the record, the trial court did not clearly err in finding that clear and convincing evidence
warranted termination on these grounds. See In re Fried, 266 Mich App 535, 540-541; 702
NW2d 192 (2005); MCR 3.977(J).1 For the same reasons, the record also supports the trial
1
We disagree, however, with the trial court’s finding that termination was warranted under
subsection (3)(a)(ii) and (i). There is no support on the record for the finding that respondent(continued…)
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court’s finding that termination was not contrary to the best interests of the child.
712A.19b(5); In re Trejo, 462 Mich 341, 356-357; 612 NW2d 407 (2000).
MCL
Affirmed.
/s/ Brian K. Zahra
/s/ Helene N. White
/s/ Peter D. O’Connell
(…continued)
appellant deserted the child for 91 or more days without seeking custody. Although respondentappellant’s parental rights to a sibling of the child were previously terminated, there is no
indication on the record that the basis of that termination was serious and chronic neglect or
physical or sexual abuse. Error in terminating respondent-appellant’s parental rights under
subsection (3)(a)(ii) and (i), however, is harmless because clear and convincing evidence
supporting termination under a single ground is sufficient. In re Powers Minors, 244 Mich App
111, 118; 624 NW2d 472 (2000).
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