A.C. v. C.C.

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REL: 10/09/2009 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 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 , A l a b a m a 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 OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 2080625 A.C. v. C.C. Appeal from Houston J u v e n i l e Court (JU-07-304.02) THOMAS, Judge. A.C. ("the Juvenile Court L.C. the mother") appeals determining from an order o f t h e Houston that hersix-year-old daughter, ("the c h i l d " ) , i s d e p e n d e n t a n d a w a r d i n g c u s t o d y t o C.C., child's maternal grandmother ("the g r a n d m o t h e r " ) . We 2080625 dismiss the appeal because i t i s taken from a nonfinal judgment. At 18 the time years old. child's of the child's b i r t h The m o t h e r , maternal grandfather (from d i v o r c e d ) were child whom was 11 m o n t h s o l d , t h e m o t h e r the District custody period Court of Livingston ending August that judgment, the grandmother On April Juvenile custody Parish, Soon 3, Louisiana, for a awarded three-year after the Louisiana court Alabama. the grandmother alleging since a left 2004, a n d t h e c h i l d moved t o D o t h a n , a petition judgment, petition. The g r a n d m o t h e r under On A u g u s t I n May of the child that, When t h e voluntarily relinquished t h e mother Louisiana aware was Louisiana. 26, 2007, Court a n d D.C., t h e of Louisiana. t o the grandmother 1, 2 0 0 7 . was the grandmother t o the grandmother. of the c h i l d entered 2006, a l l residents of the child t h e mother the grandmother, later custody i n 2003, copy the August filed that 3, of which i n the Houston she had had l e g a l 2004, pursuant she a t t a c h e d to a to her f u r t h e r a l l e g e d t h a t t h e m o t h e r was terms of that judgment, grandmother's custody 2007, t h e mother might "have p l a n s t o attempt t o take and t h a t r i g h t s were due t o e x p i r e the 2 on A u g u s t 1, 2080625 the child unfit of at that t o have time"; J a n u a r y 5, 2006, 2007, had mother was whereabouts father were the mother custody of the c h i l d drug abuse; that and that the mother was because had not she had seen provided currently o f t h e man a support f o r the resident believed unknown; and that of t o be child; Alaska; in the that that day petition order filed, the awarding the grandmother juvenile pendente court lite the the child's to remain i n the custody of the grandmother. was 21, biological interest the since since A p r i l the c h i l d ' s i t was and a history the c h i l d had not t e l e p h o n e d the c h i l d not unstable best On entered custody of the an the child. On June petition, and 28, filed requested residence that would be three y e a r s so answered a counterpetition that the court The relinquished child stable the mother i n Alaska. voluntarily asserted 2007, she and i n the a grandmother's the mother i n her l i f e . " The m o t h e r 3 "could had of her that she had i n 2004; she agreed temporary become child, study the c h i l d grandmother that home acknowledged custody of the grandmother's f o r custody of the order mother the that the custody for drug further alleged that free and she had 2080625 "cleaned up her life, [was] gainfully employed working j o b s , [ h a d ] a s t a b l e home, a n d [ w a s ] r e a d y , w i l l i n g , to abide by the agreement alleged to failure t o have k e p t Alabama assertions "events not as that and to l e d up otherwise i n touch with and mother's that any the unfitness t o t h e A u g u s t 3, s u p p o r t e d by the c h i l d of c o n t a c t and the g r e a t Alaska; the were custody County with Department the grandmother, of Human basis." On directing Resources was due distance based 2004 agreement factual her grandmother's 2007, t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t e n t e r e d an o r d e r c o n t i n u i n g lite able s h e made t h r e e y e a r s a g o " ; t h a t the grandmother's d e n i a l between and four the ("DHR"), upon and are July 24, pendente Houston via i t s c o u n t e r p a r t i n A l a s k a , t o c o n d u c t a home s t u d y o f t h e m o t h e r ' s residence, and a l l o w i n g t h e mother b i w e e k l y t e l e p h o n e and s u p e r v i s e d v i s i t a t i o n In M.J., December who 2007, with the the mother contact child. and her had been b o r n i n O c t o b e r 2006, younger daughter, moved t o D o t h a n t h a t the mother c o u l d attempt t o e s t a b l i s h a r e l a t i o n s h i p the child. electrician The mother secured a job a t t h e F a r l e y N u c l e a r Power i n J a n u a r y 2008. as Plant an so with apprentice and began work She o b t a i n e d a n a p a r t m e n t i n D o t h a n a n d made 4 2080625 day-care mother and arrangements younger d a u g h t e r , M.J. and t h e grandmother had d i s a g r e e m e n t s o v e r t h e type child, f o r her of v i s i t a t i o n and, specific stating that the mother on J a n u a r y 24, times that 2008, f o r the mother's should have t h e p a r t i e s were e n t e r i n g with directed by Dr. the v i s i t s licensed professional On F e b r u a r y 8, be supervised 2008, the mother filed t h a t the grandmother had r e f u s e d to v i s i t the court Lynn Suggs, t o a l l o w the mother The j u v e n i l e on F e b r u a r y 1 4 , 2008, c o n t i n u i n g contempt motion t o March 27, court a hearing m o t h e r ' s c o n t e m p t m o t i o n and moved t h e c o u r t to order m o t h e r have an i n d e p e n d e n t p s y c h o l o g i c a l e v a l u a t i o n . 2008, motion the mother that she have filed a an objection psychological to the that On evaluation, and that was 5 reneging on the March asserting the p a r t i e s had agreed t o c a r r y out a r e u n i f i c a t i o n grandmother the grandmother's that the on 2008. On F e b r u a r y 2 1 , 2 0 0 8 , t h e g r a n d m o t h e r m o v e d t o s t r i k e 4, a a contempt motion, t h e c h i l d w i t h Dr. Suggs p r e s e n t . an o r d e r The phase counselor. alleging entered child, "a t r a n s i t i o n a l the c h i l d . the ordered the toward r e u n i f i c a t i o n " of the mother w i t h that amount with the j u v e n i l e court visitation The the plan agreement, 2080625 because, the mother alleged, a l l the grounds grandmother's motion predated towards r e u n i f i c a t i o n . ordered both the psychological On A p r i l weekend mother 8, state. 2008, grandmother court contempt May visitation, the 6, Melanie referee Cotter. 2008, ordered jurisdiction referee 26, the set a hearing a temporary r e s t r a i n i n g from her April taking mother 2008. On May May 16, court on 23, the moved motion for a 8, 2008, n o t t o remove further pending 2008, the child's safety at p r e v i o u s l y accused her f a t h e r , risk D.C., 6 of overnight of juvenile her court from the orders, and the motions f o r June the grandmother o b j e c t e d was the psychologist, the c h i l d a l lother out copy the pending 2008, child mother's having overnight v i s i t a t i o n w i t h the c h i l d , that the to issue the the mother of on On to On rule c o u r t g r a n t e d the mother p s y c h o l o g i c a l e v a l u a t i o n c o n d u c t e d by a c l i n i c a l Dr. undergo rights. mother attaching d i d not to court motion. 17, 2008, t h e j u v e n i l e prevent On the The daytime v i s i t a t i o n to the p a r t i e s ' agreement t o work and g r a n d m o t h e r moved t h e c o u r t order i n the On M a r c h 2 7 , 2 0 0 8 , t h e j u v e n i l e evaluations. mother's February listed because to the alleging the mother had o f s e x u a l abuse, and y e t 2080625 had allowed home since D.C. to v i s i t s h e h a d moved h e r and t o s t a y t o Dothan. On overnight June i nher 3, 2 0 0 8 , t h e g r a n d m o t h e r moved t h e c o u r t t o h o l d t h e m o t h e r i n c o n t e m p t f o r taking On the child June 4, grandmother child. court on o u t o f s t a t e t o D r . S u g g s ' s home i n G e o r g i a . 2008, Following a hearing t h e mother alternating 8, 2008, D.C., L o u i s i a n a , moved t o i n t e r v e n e , with the child. to order Ala. the that was seeking with the the juvenile with the child the c h i l d contempt who t h e mother t o pay c h i l d R. J u d . A d m i n . consolidate visitation the have no that the court motions. still a resident grandparent of visitation T h e same d a y , t h e g r a n d m o t h e r m o v e d t h e c o u r t support pursuant On S e p t e m b e r 1 2 , 2 0 0 8 , a second p e t i t i o n f o r custody to 26, 2008, The r e c o r d does n o t i n d i c a t e pending to hold her v i s i t a t i o n on J u n e overnight on a n y o f t h e t h r e e July the court weekends and o r d e r e d c o n t a c t w i t h D.C. On moved i n contempt f o r denying granted ruled t h e mother a hearing grandmother's request o f the child on h e r p e t i t i o n f o rchild t o R u l e 32, t h e mother filed a n d moved t h e c o u r t with support. the hearing on 1 O n D e c e m b e r 5, 2 0 0 8 , i n a d i f f e r e n t c a s e , a c h i l d - s u p p o r t o r d e r was e n t e r e d d i r e c t i n g t h e m o t h e r t o p a y t h e g r a n d m o t h e r $318 p e r month f o r t h e s u p p o r t o f t h e c h i l d . 1 7 2080625 On S e p t e m b e r hearing on 29, 2008, t h e mother moved f o r an custody petition, asserting her emergency that grandmother's "bizarre child at risk of serious other t h i n g s , t h a t t h e g r a n d m o t h e r h a d p a r t i c i p a t e d w i t h K.C., the and d e l u s i o n a l " b e h a v i o r the injury. The mother c h i l d ' s maternal aunt, i n d i s t r i b u t i n g mail message, falsely reporting that mother reported mother the also juvenile ruled with that continue 2008, the mother's Following court ordered respect missing. had a hearing DHR grandmother that left overnight falsely 30, 2008, to the court i t s custody weekend I t also visitation of the court. petitioned rented and f i l e d legal to report M . J . was d e p e n d e n t . Dothan, on S e p t e m b e r to the sexual-abuse complaint. t h e mother's the Louisiana, seeking younger a n d was the grandmother pending f u r t h e r orders asserting mother that among t o DHR t h a t t h e c h i l d h a d b e e n s e x u a l l y a b u s e d b y t h e a n d D.C. finding alleged alleged, an "Amber A l e r t " e ¬ d a u g h t e r , M.J., had been abused and n e g l e c t e d The had put the would On O c t o b e r 1 , f o r custody of M.J., On O c t o b e r 3, 2 0 0 8 , t h e a m o b i l e home n e a r D.C.'s home i n a custody p e t i t i o n o f M.J. 8 i n a Louisiana court, 2080625 The trial including with the respect juvenile that court. The to contempt M.J., granted there were record r u l e d on a l l issues grandmother's court noted ever of the 2 dependency occurred D.C.'s "various does not or on the In indicates J a n u a r y 16, t h a t on contempt." either On party March following on and motion to contempt 20, J a n u a r y 16, 2009. The and motions" before the the court J u n e 4, 2008, June 3, 2008, case-action-summary a "second 2009, f i n d i n g s of fact contains the juvenile and conclusions court of no sheet motion 2009. 24, us i t juvenile 2008, or 2 0 0 9 , t h e r e was before petition intervene, grandmother's record pleadings, custody January a d d i t i o n , the The the on m o t h e r ' s F e b r u a r y 2, motions, by indicate that contempt motion. for raised filing entered by the law: "[The mother] v o l u n t a r i l y r e l i n q u i s h e d custody of [ t h e c h i l d ] t o [ t h e g r a n d m o t h e r ] on A u g u s t 3, 2 0 0 4 , in the State of Louisiana. [The child] was a p p r o x i m a t e l y e l e v e n months o l d at t h i s t i m e . This t r a n s f e r o f c u s t o d y was a p p r o v e d by t h e L o u i s i a n a court, which ordered that [the grandmother] would r e t a i n custody of [ t h e c h i l d ] f o r a p e r i o d of t h r e e years. [The c h i l d ] has since resided with [the The grandmother's dependency p e t i t i o n w i t h r e s p e c t to M.J. was a s s i g n e d a s e p a r a t e c a s e n u m b e r ; h o w e v e r , t h e c o u r t consolidated i t for trial with the dependency petition r e g a r d i n g the c h i l d . No i s s u e w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e a l l e g e d d e p e n d e n c y o r c u s t o d y o f M.J. i s p r e s e n t e d on t h i s a p p e a l . 2 9 2080625 g r a n d m o t h e r ] f o r over f i v e y e a r s . [The and t h e c h i l d moved t o H o u s t o n C o u n t y , May 2006]. grandmother Alabama, i n "The evidence at t r i a l established that the primary reason f o r the t r a n s f e r of [ t h e child's] custody from [ t h e mother] to [ t h e grandmother] was [the mother's] drug use and lack of stability. Subsequent to r e l i n q u i s h i n g custody of [ t h e c h i l d ] , [ t h e m o t h e r l e f t L o u i s i a n a and] t r a v e l e d t o v a r i o u s s t a t e s a n d f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y one y e a r -- m o s t o f 2 0 0 6 -[the m o t h e r ' s ] w h e r e a b o u t s were unknown. During the three years following the Louisiana order, [the mother] had l i t t l e contact with [the c h i l d ] a n d p r o v i d e d no s u p p o r t on h e r b e h a l f . "At t r i a l , [the mother] attempted to prove t h a t she had a t t a i n e d a s t a b l e l i f e s t y l e and t h a t she i s no l o n g e r u s i n g d r u g s , as e v i d e n c e d b y n e g a t i v e d r u g s c r e e n s f o r t h e p a s t two a n d o n e - h a l f y e a r s . She t e s t i f i e d t h a t she moved t o D o t h a n and w o r k e d f o r some t i m e here as an electrician's apprentice, earning $11.33 per hour at the nuclear plant. However, by t h e t i m e o f t h e h e a r i n g , she had moved t o L o u i s i a n a t o g e t b e t t e r w o r k a n d t o be n e a r h e r f a t h e r . [The m o t h e r ] p r e s e n t e d t e s t i m o n y f r o m a DHR s o c i a l w o r k e r who t e s t i f i e d t h a t s h e h a d no c o n c e r n s w i t h [the c h i l d ' s ] custody b e i n g r e t u r n e d to [the mother]. [The m o t h e r ] a l s o c a l l e d a s a w i t n e s s D r . Lynn Suggs, a l i c e n s e d p r o f e s s i o n a l c o u n s e l o r , who t e s t i f i e d as t o [ t h e m o t h e r ' s ] e f f o r t s t o e s t a b l i s h a r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h [the c h i l d ] . "[The g r a n d m o t h e r ] d i s p u t e d and d i s c o u n t e d [ t h e mother's] attempts to rehabilitate herself and testified t h a t [the mother] had not successfully e s t a b l i s h e d a mother-daughter r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h [the child]. [The grandmother] also presented the t e s t i m o n y o f D r . D a v i d G h o s t l e y , a p s y c h o l o g i s t who had evaluated [the mother and the child]. Dr. Ghostley testified that the results of [the m o t h e r ' s ] MMPI [ M i n n e s o t a M u l t i p h a s i c P e r s o n a l i t y 10 2080625 I n v e n t o r y ] w e r e n o t v a l i d d u e t o a n e l e v a t i o n on t h e ' l i e s c a l e , ' a b u i l t - i n m e c h a n i s m w i t h i n t h e MMPI used to determine whether persons taking that inventory are p r o v i d i n g t r u t h f u l responses. Dr. G h o s t l e y a l s o t e s t i f i e d t h a t i t w o u l d n o t be i n [ t h e child's] best interests t o be r e m o v e d from the custody of [the grandmother] at t h i s t i m e . [The grandmother] a l s o questioned the c r e d i b i l i t y of the t e s t i m o n y p r e s e n t e d b y Dr. Suggs and a t t e m p t e d t o show b y c r o s s - e x a m i n a t i o n o f D r . S u g g s t h a t [ t h e mother] and Dr. Suggs h a d d e v e l o p e d a personal r e l a t i o n s h i p , as d e m o n s t r a t e d i n p a r t by t h e f a c t that Dr. Suggs and h e r h u s b a n d h a d t r a v e l e d t o A l a s k a , a t [ t h e m o t h e r ' s ] e x p e n s e , when D r . S u g g s f i r s t met [ t h e m o t h e r ] t o a s s i s t h e r i n t h i s c a s e . "During the course of the t r i a l , [the child's] father also t e s t i f i e d . Due t o h i s e x t r e m e l y l i m i t e d c o n t a c t w i t h [ t h e c h i l d ] a n d h i s f a i l u r e t o show interest i n maintaining a relationship with [the c h i l d ] , t h e c o u r t f i n d s t h a t he i s n o t a s u i t a b l e p e r s o n t o have c u s t o d y o f [ t h ec h i l d ] and t h a t t h e r e i s no r e a s o n t o b e l i e v e t h a t he i s a b l e o r w i l l i n g to s u p p o r t o r n u r t u r e [the c h i l d ] o r p r o v i d e f o r h e r welfare at t h i s time. "... [The c h i l d ' s ] c a s e p r e s e n t s s e r i o u s a n d difficult issues. On o n e h a n d , [ t h e m o t h e r ] h a s made e f f o r t s a t r e h a b i l i t a t i o n a n d h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d an i n t e r e s t i n p a r e n t i n g [ t h e c h i l d ] . On t h e o t h e r hand, t h e c o u r t cannot t u r n a b l i n d eye t o t h e t r a g i c f a c t s a n d c i r c u m s t a n c e s -- f o r w h i c h [ t h e m o t h e r ] i s r e s p o n s i b l e -- w h i c h h a v e c r e a t e d t h e difficulties involving [the child's] custody. U l t i m a t e l y , t h e i s s u e t h i s c o u r t must a d d r e s s i s whether the r e l a t i v e l y r e c e n t emergence o f [ t h e m o t h e r ] as an i n t e r e s t e d p a r e n t i s s u f f i c i e n t t o p r e v e n t a f i n d i n g o f d e p e n d e n c y . Upon c o n s i d e r a t i o n of the evidence and t e s t i m o n y i n t h i s case, the c o u r t d e c i d e s t h i s i s s u e a d v e r s e l y t o [the mother] and does f i n d by c l e a r and c o n v i n c i n g e v i d e n c e t h a t [the c h i l d ] i s a dependent c h i l d . 11 2080625 " B a s e d on t h e f i n d i n g o f d e p e n d e n c y as t o [ t h e c h i l d ] , the court orders that custody of [the c h i l d ] s h a l l remain at t h i s time w i t h [the grandmother], the P e t i t i o n e r , s u b j e c t t o the f o l l o w i n g r i g h t s of v i s i t a t i o n by [ t h e m o t h e r ] : "1) E v e r y o t h e r w e e k e n d f r o m 5:00 p.m. o n Friday until 5:00 p.m. the following Sunday; "2) F o r o n e - h a l f o f a l l s c h o o l b r e a k s , w i t h the exception o f t h e summer b r e a k , as d e t e r m i n e d by t h e s c h o o l c a l e n d a r o f t h e s c h o o l d i s t r i c t where t h e c h i l d r e s i d e s ; "3) For ten consecutive summer b r e a k . days during the " A l l v i s i t a t i o n s h a l l b e e x e r c i s e d no m o r e t h a n 100 m i l e s f r o m t h e c i t y o f D o t h a n , A l a b a m a . During any s u c h v i s i t a t i o n , t h e c h i l d s h a l l be a l l o w e d t o have c o n t a c t w i t h h e r m a t e r n a l g r a n d f a t h e r , [D.C.]. However, the request of [D.C.] for rights of s p e c i f i c v i s i t a t i o n i s denied. A t a l l s u c h t i m e s as [the mother] s h a l l e x e r c i s e v i s i t a t i o n , she s h a l l provide t o [ t h e grandmother] n o t i c e o f where t h e v i s i t a t i o n w i l l take p l a c e . " Although neither court's j u r i s d i c t i o n first party has raised to entertain this the issue appeal, determine whether i t has j u r i s d i c t i o n matters may t a k e o f them e x mero m o t u M c M u r p h y Clothiers, appeal 892 S o . 2 d 3 9 5 , 397 ordinarily will importance 12 that appeal. a v. E a s t ( A l a . C i v . App. 2004). l i e only from a f i n a l this c o u r t must over t h i s "Jurisdictional notice are of such this of court Bay "An j u d g m e n t -- i . e . , 2080625 one that c o n c l u s i v e l y determines and ascertains involved." "[T]he and Bean v. question jurisdictional 1032, 1034 Eustace Civ. Browning, C i v . App. App. [Ms. ruling dismiss v. a See 2, pendency of of Decker failure the v. parties final is other a So. 835 2d grounds, 2009] an So. 3d unadjudicated to obey litigation Decker, court (Ala. 1990). Johnson, July party's the is 2 0 0 7 ) ; H e a s t o n v . N a b o r s , 889 pendency this 2009, court's judgment The of three, and c o n t e m p t m o t i o n s made d u r i n g 24, 1253 the orders renders 984 So. 2d So. 2 d 588 a 1216 (Ala. 2004). The before 1249, 2d 2071234, progress nonfinal. of 2 0 0 2 ) , o v e r r u l e d on 2009). the So. rights Johnson alleging during issues before the a question." motion judgment (Ala. whether C i v . App. contempt entered C r a i g , 557 ( A l a . C i v . App. v. (Ala. declares the case order March on any the APPEAL was tried nonfinal. 24, of 2009, the possibly four, the contentious renders the unadjudicated 21-month p e r i o d juvenile March We find nothing the juvenile order that c o n s t i t u t e s an implicit contempt motions. in court's A c c o r d i n g l y , we must appeal. DISMISSED. Thompson, P.J., and Pittman, concur. 13 Bryan, and Moore, JJ.,

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