MATTER OF FISHER v FISHER

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No. 13045 IN THE SUPKEME COURT OF THE STATE OF M N A A OTN 1975 LN THE MATTER OF DOUGLAS FISHER, J O H N FISHER and IVAN RONQUILLO, Youth i n Need of Care. D i v i s i o n o f C h i l d W e l f a r e S e r v i c e s Department o f P u b l i c W e l f a r e o f Montana, P e t i t i o n e r and Respondent, -vs - GLORIA FISHER, Respondent and A p p e l l a n t . Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court o f t h e T h i r t e e n t h J u d i c i a l , Honorable R o b e r t Wilson, J u d g e p r e s i d i n g . Counsel of Record : For Appellant : Vernard C. Anderson, Jr. a r g u e d , B i l l i n g s , Montana F o r Respondent : Harold Hanser, County A t t o r n e y , B i l l i n g s , Montana Thomas Mahan a r g u e d , Helena, Montana Submitted : November 13, 1975 Decided: Filed : 3 :9fb :EB - 5 19-76 M r . J u s t i c e Wesley C a s t l e s d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion o f t h e Court. A mother a p p e a l s from a judgment o f t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t , Yellowstone County, which adjudged h e r t h r e e minor c h i l d r e n t o be "youth i n need of c a r e " and awarded permanent custody t o t h e Department of S o c i a l and R e h a b i l i t a t i o n S e r v i c e s . Appellant i s a 25 y e a r o l d mother of 3 young c h i l d r e n , one of whom was born o u t of wedlock. T r a g i c circumstances l e f t t h e mother d e s t i t u t e and t h e c h i l d r e n f a t h e r l e s s . Because o f circumstances which do n o t need r e c i t a t i o n , t h e mother has a h i s t o r y o f c o n t a c t w i t h t h e w e l f a r e department s i n c e 1969. The Department o f S o c i a l and R e h a b i l i t a t i o n S e r v i c e s took temporary custody of t h e c h i l d r e n i n January 1974 and by s t i p u l a t i o n r e t u r n e d them t o t h e mother on o r about August 1 6 , 1974, o n l y t o r e t a k e them on December 31, 1974. A p e t i t i o n f o r permanent custody was f i l e d on January 20, 1975, and was heard on March 21, 1975, without a j u r y . These i s s u e s a r e presented f o r review: 1. Whether t h e r e i s a p r i v i l e g e d communication between a w e l f a r e s o c i a l worker and a mother w i t h whom she i s working, s o t h a t t h e worker cannot t e s t i f y a g a i n s t t h e mother i n a c h i l d custody proceeding; and, f u r t h e r , whether anything i n t h e f i l e of t h e w e l f a r e department can be used a g a i n s t t h e mother i n t h e proceeding. 2. Whether t k r e was s u f f i c i e n t evidence f o r t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t o remove t h e c h i l d r e n from t h e i r mother under t h e p r o v i s i o n s of s e c t i o n 10-1301, R.C.M. 1947. W need n o t r e s o l v e t h e f i r s t i s s u e because o f o u r d e t e r e mination t h a t t h e r e was n o t s u f f i c i e n t c r e d i b l e evidence t o support t h e f i n d i n g by t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t h a t t h e s e minor c h i l d r e n were II youth i n need of care". 1947, p r o v i d e s : S e c t i o n 10-1301, R.C.M. " ~ e f i n i t i o n s . (1) ' c h i l d ' o r ' ~ o u t h t, f o r purposes of t h i s a c t , means any person under e i g h t e e n (18) y e a r s of a g e . "(2) ' ~ b u s e 'or "(a) I n e g l e c t ' means: The commission o r omission of any a c t o r a c t s which m t e r i a l l y a f f e c t t h e normal p h y s i c a l a o r emotional development of a youth, any e x c e s s i v e physical i n j u r y , sexual a s s a u l t o r f a i l u r e t o t h r i v e , t a k i n g i n t o account t h e age and medical h i s t o r y of t h e youth, s h a l l be presumptive of ' m a t e r i a l a f f e c t ' and n o n a c c i d e n t a l ; o r II (b) The commission o r omission of any a c t o r a c t s by any person i n t h e s t a t u s o f p a r e n t , g u a r d i a n o r c u s t o d i a n who t h e r e b y and by r e a s o n of p h y s i c a l o r mental i n c a p a c i t y o r o t h e r c a u s e , r e f u s e s , o r w i t h s t a t e and p r i v a t e a i d and a s s i s t a n c e i s u n a b l e t o d i s c h a r g e t h e d u t i e s and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s f o r p r o p e r and n e c e s s a r y s u b s i s t e n c e , e d u c a t i o n , medical o r any o t h e r c a r e n e c e s s a r y f o r h i s p h y s i c a l , moral and emotional well-being. "(3) ' , ~ e p e n d e n tyouth' means a youth who i s abandoned, dependent upon t h e p u b l i c f o r s u p p o r t , and who i s d e s t i t u t e o r i s w i t h o u t p a r e n t s o r , g u a r d i a n o r under t h e c a r e and s u p e r v i s i o n of a s u i t a b l e a d u l t o r who has no proper guidance t o p r o v i d e f o r h i s n e c e s s a r y p h y s i c a l , moral and emotional w e l l - b e i n g . A c h i l d may be c o n s i d e r e d dependent and l e g a l custody t r a n s f e r r e d t o a l i c e n s e d agency i f t h e p a r e n t o r p a r e n t s v o l u n t a r i l y r e l i n q u i s h c u s t o d y of s a i d c h i l d . " ( 4 ) 'youth i n need of c a r e ' means a youth who i s dependent o r i s s u f f e r i n 6 from abuse o r n e g l e c t w i t h i n t h e meaning of t h i s a c t . Appellant submits t h a t she has done n o t h i n g so heinous a s t o w a r r a n t having h e r c h i l d r e n taken from h e r f o r e v e r . She a r g u e s s p e c i f i c a l l y t h a t t h e f i n d i n g s of f a c t numbered 9 through 15 by t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t do n o t conform t o t h e evidence. Those findings s t a t e : * "9. That t h e n a t u r a l mother ;k + has been unable : t o provide f o r h e r c h i l d r e n ' s normal p h y s i c a l , moral and emotional development; t h a t i t h a s been n e c e s s a r y t o p l a c e t h e s a i d c h i l d r e n i n t h e custody of t h e Welfare Department on v a r i o u s d i f f e r e n t o c c a s i o n s due t o t h e mother's i n a b i l i t y t o c a r e f o r t h e c h i l d r e n . "10. That on August 1 6 , 1974, t h e above m a t t e r was continued by t h e Court f o r a p e r i o d of s i x (6) months; t h a t p h y s i c a l c u s t o d y of t h e s a i d minor c h i l d r e n was r e t u r n e d t o t h e respondent and c e r t a i n g u i d e l i n e s were s e t out f o r her t o follow. "11. That t h e r e s p o n d e n t h a s f a i l e d t o f o l l o w t h e s e g u i d e l i n e s and h a s f a i l e d t o c o o p e r a t e w i t h t h e W e l f a r e Department i n c a r i n g f o r h e r c h i l d r e n . "12. T h a t on November 7 , 1974, and November 27, 1974, t h e r e s p o n d e n t r e q u e s t e d t h e W e l f a r e Department t o place her children i n the B i l l i n g s Children's Receiving Home. "13. That t h e r e s p o n d e n t h a s moved numerous t i m e s and h a s f a i l e d t o k e e p t h e W e l f a r e Department a d v i s e d of h e r c u r r e n t a d d r e s s . "14. That t h e r e s p o n d e n t on December 25, 1974, e n t e r e d i n t o a w r i t t e n agreement w i t h h e r mother-in-law $ : 9: p l a c i n g permanent c u s t o d y o f t h e s a i d c h i l d r e n with [ t h e mother-in-law]. * *** "15. That s a i d c h i l d r e n a r e y o u t h i n need o f c a r e and i t i s i n t h e i r b e s t i n t e r e s t t h a t t h e i r c u s t o d y b e g r a n t e d t o t h e Department o f S o c i a l and R e h a b i l i t a t i o n S e r v i c e s of t h e S t a t e of Montana, w i t h t h e r i g h t o f a d o p t i o n , s o p l a n s can b e made f o r t h e i r . f u t u r e s e c u r i t y and w e l f a r e . I 1 Respondent D i v i s i o n o f C h i l d W e l f a r e S e r v i c e s m a i n t a i n s t h a t t h e r e i s s u f f i c i e n t c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e o f "youth i n need o f c a r e " and r e l i e s h e a v i l y on a "REPORT T THE COURT1' from t h e O Yellowstone County Department of P u b l i c W e l f a r e . Upon c a r e f u l review of t h e record w e a r e i n accord w i t h a p p e l l a n t . I t i s w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t t h i s C o u r t ' s f u n c t i o n on appeal i s t o determine whether t h e r e i s s u f f i c i e n t c r e d i b l e e v i dence t o s u p p o r t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s f i n d i n g s . Georgetown R e c r e a t i o n Corp., Mon t . , Crncevich v. 541 P.2d 5 6 , 32 St.Rep. 963,966; Richardson v. Howard Motor Co., 163 Mont. 347, Respondent D i v i s i o n o f C h i l d W e l f a r e S e r v i c e s c a l l e d e i g h t w i t n e s s e s a t t h e h e a r i n g on t h e p e t i t i o n f o r permanent c u s t o d y . T h e i r t e s t i m o n y d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h t h a t a p p e l l a n t had "abused" o r " n e g l e c t e d " h e r c h i l d r e n w i t h i n t h e meaning o f s e c t i o n 10-1301, o r t h a t t h e y were "dependent youth" u n d e r t h a t s t a t u t e . A t most i t was o n l y c l e a r t h a t a p p e l l a n t had d i f f i c u l t y i n f i n d i n g a p e r - manent home f o r h e r f a m i l y . Necessarily then t h e remaining evidence before t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ---the "REPORT T THE COURT" from t h e O Yellowstone County Department of Public Welfare---must II establish youth i n need of c a r e " by s u b s t a n t i a l c r e d i b l e evidence i f t h e judgment of t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i s t o s t a n d . The r e p o r t i s a 11 Summarized H i s t o r y " o f a p p e l l a n t ' s contacts with l o c a l welfare agencies. It contains e n t r i e s f o r 35 d a t e s covering t h e p e r i o d from 1969 t o e a r l y 1974. Many o f t h e e n t r i e s a r e n o t even m a t e r i a l t o t h e i s s u e of whether a p p e l l a n t ' s c h i l d r e n a r e "youth i n need o f care". Other n o t a t i o n s a r e rank hearsay o r come from u n i d e n t i f i e d s o u r c e s and l i k e w i s e should have been d i s r e g a r d e d by t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t . I t i s impossible t o c a t e g o r i z e i t s c o n t e n t s a s s u b s t a n t i a l c r e d i b l e evidence. Granted a p p e l l a n t and h e r c h i l d r e n have encountered difficulties. The t r a g i c d e a t h of a husband and f a t h e r has had a l a r g e impact on t h e i r l i v e s . S u i t a b l e housing and a decent job a r e problems f o r many i n o u r s o c i e t y , b u t such a d v e r s i t y should n o t cause u s t o d i s s o l v e t h e family a b s e n t a c o n c r e t e showing t h a t i t i s i n t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t of t h e c h i l d r e n involved. (See I n t h e Matter of Declaring Henderson, a dependent and n e g l e c t e d Child, Mont . , 542 P.2d 1204, 32 S t . Rep. 1154, 1157, and cases c i t e d therein.) The l e g i s l a t u r e h a s d e c l a r e d t h e p o l i c y o f t h i s s t a t e f o r abused, n e g l e c t e d , and dependent c h i l d r e n i n s e c t i o n 10-1300, R.C.M. 1947, which provides: "1t i s hereby d e c l a r e d t o be t h e p o l i c y of t h e s t a t e of Montana : "(1) t o e n s u r e t h a t a l l youth a r e a f f o r d e d an adequate p h y s i c a l and emotional environment t o promote normal development; "(2) t o compel i n proper c a s e s t h e p a r e n t o r guardian of a youth t o perform t h e moral and l e g a l duty owed t o t h e youth; "(3) t o a c h i e v e t h e s e purposes i n a family environment whenever p o s s i b l e ; and "(4) t o p r e s e r v e t h e u n i t y and w e l f a r e o f t h e family whenever p o s s i b l e . " (Emphasis s u p p l i e d ) . I n t h e i n s t a n t c a s e a t t h e h e a r i n g on p e t i t i o n f o r permanent custody, we hold t h e r e was n o t s u b s t a n t i a l c r e d i b l e 1 evidence t o support f i n d i n g s No. 9 , 1 and 15 of t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t which bottomed t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s conclusions o f law and judgment t h a t t h e s e c h i l d r e n should b e taken from t h e i r mother and permanent custody awarded t o t h e Department of S o c i a l R e h a b i l i t a t i o n Services. T h i s was a c l e a r abuse of d i s c r e t i o n by t h e d i s t r i c t court. Following from such a f a i l u r e of p r o o f , t h e l e g i s l a t i v e p o l i c y t o p r e s e r v e t h e u n i t y and w e l f a r e of t h e family must p r e v a i l . The judgment o f t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i s r e v e r s e d and t h e c a s e i s remanded t o t h a t c o u r t f o r e n t r y of an o r d e r n o t i n c o n s i s t e n t t o what has been s t a t e d h e r e i n w i t h such f u r t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n being given t h e w e l f a r e of t h e c h i l d r e n and t h e mother on a c u r r e n t b a s i s a s may be i n d i c a t e d . * 4 Concur: i' 'Chief Justice / Justice w

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