M.H. v. H.N.M.
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REL: 12/4/09 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 OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 2080686 M.H. v. H.N.M. Appeal from Walker J u v e n i l e Court (JU-05-276.02) BRYAN, J u d g e . M.H. ("the f a t h e r " ) a p p e a l s Juvenile Court daughter, from a judgment o f t h e Walker ("the j u v e n i l e c o u r t " ) g r a n t i n g c u s t o d y M.J.H. ("the c h i l d " ) , H.N.M. ("the m a t e r n a l aunt"). born i n December of h i s 2004, t o 2080686 On December 5, 2007, t h e p e t i t i o n f o r c u s t o d y and of the child verified "during petition, c h i l d ' s mother child, the that ("the the s o u g h t ex p a r t e the the m a t e r n a l aunt f i l e d pendency of m o t h e r " ) , was one the custody action." In her the v e s t e d w i t h custody of th[e] f a t h e r was f a t h e r had child," her that f a t h e r , and time contemplated t e r m i n a t i n g c h i l d . The this h a l f s i b l i n g s were a l s o i n h e r relationship with at "temporary" m a t e r n a l a u n t a l l e g e d t h a t E.D., m a t e r n a l aunt a l s o a l l e g e d t h a t the aware t h a t t h e verified m o t h e r ' s w h e r e a b o u t s were unknown, and c h i l d ' s two no a maternal aunt a v e r r e d the the that custody. "had virtually child t h a t the was not father his parental t h a t i t was The had rights to contrary to t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t o f t h e m a t e r n a l a u n t and t h e c h i l d t o n o t i f y the father regarding the issuance of a temporary order. The m a t e r n a l aunt f u r t h e r sought a temporary r e s t r a i n i n g order be issued against maternal day, the f a t h e r . The aunt's p e t i t i o n for j u v e n i l e court temporary custody c i t i n g t h e p o t e n t i a l f o r i m m e d i a t e and t o t h e m a t e r n a l a u n t and The father filed to the an on the the same i r r e p a r a b l e harm child. answer to the v e r i f i e d p e t i t i o n f o r c u s t o d y on December 12, 2 granted to maternal aunt's 2007. The father 2080686 d e n i e d t h e m a t e r i a l a l l e g a t i o n s made by t h e m a t e r n a l a u n t s t a t e d t h a t he was o f t h e c h i l d . The the matter order immediate h e a r i n g , 2008, t h e granting between him and the to the custody ex custody of the maternal child a l t e r n a t i v e , to schedule d i e d on o r a b o u t December 1 1 , not a l l o w e d the entry the to father On hearing June 13, 2008, t h e stated 2007, that f a t h e r or h i s f a m i l y of the c h i l d ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h the the visitation temporary order, t h a t t h e m a t e r n a l a u n t ' s a c t i o n s were h a v i n g a n e g a t i v e on t h e parte f a t h e r f i l e d a motion to d i s s o l v e I n h i s motion, the since set father. child. t h e m a t e r n a l a u n t had child child temporary the t h a t t h e m o t h e r had the set aside g r a n t i n g c u s t o d y of the c h i l d t o the m a t e r n a l aunt or, i n the visit p r o p e r p e r s o n t o have award c u s t o d y of the On A p r i l 30, the f i t and f a t h e r r e q u e s t e d t h a t the j u v e n i l e c o u r t f o r an temporary order a u n t , and the and to and impact father. j u v e n i l e court held an on t h e f a t h e r ' s m o t i o n t o d i s s o l v e t h e o r d e r ore tenus awarding temporary c u s t o d y of the c h i l d t o the m a t e r n a l aunt or, i n the a l t e r n a t i v e , t o s c h e d u l e v i s i t a t i o n . The order on A p r i l 15, j u v e n i l e court a lengthy final f a t h e r was u n f i t t o have c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d , t h a t t h e 3 issued 2009, t h a t f o u n d t h a t the father 2080686 had "voluntarily forfeited h i s place p e r s o n t o have c u s t o d y o f t h e ... t h e c h i l d was court t o remain w i t h d i d not address the as the f i t and proper c h i l d , " and t h a t c u s t o d y o f t h e m a t e r n a l a u n t . The father's juvenile a l t e r n a t i v e request f o r v i s i t a t i o n w i t h t h e c h i l d . The f a t h e r t i m e l y f i l e d a n o t i c e o f appeal. On erred appeal, by the father argues his physical considering that the juvenile appearance in court awarding c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d t o t h e m a t e r n a l a u n t . He a l s o a r g u e s the j u v e n i l e court exceeded i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n awarding of the child to the maternal juvenile court's aunt because, he custody alleges, f i n d i n g s were n o t s u p p o r t e d by t h e the j u v e n i l e court exceeded h i m any v i s i t a t i o n w i t h "Although jurisdiction, neither we the the evidence and t h e m a t e r n a l a u n t f a i l e d t o show t h a t t h e f a t h e r was t o have c u s t o d y o f t h e c h i l d . F i n a l l y , that unfit the f a t h e r argues that i t s d i s c r e t i o n by f a i l i n g t o a w a r d child. party has must c o n s i d e r questioned w h e t h e r we this have court's jurisdiction over t h i s a p p e a l , because ' " j u r i s d i c t i o n a l matters are of such m a g n i t u d e t h a t we e v e n ex mero motu." take notice o f them a t any K e l l e y v. Thomas, 4 t i m e and 878 So. 2d 1168, do so 1171 2080686 (Ala. 689 C i v . App. So. 2003) 2d 210, 211 (quoting Wallace ( A l a . C i v . App. Nunn v. B a k e r , 518 So. 2d 711, 712 v. Tee J a y s M f g . 1997), quoting ( A l a . 1987)). whether a judgment i s f i n a l i s a j u r i s d i c t i o n a l t h e r e v i e w i n g c o u r t , on a d e t e r m i n a t i o n not final, Hubbard, has 935 a So. duty 2d 1191, final judgment is a there has a been to dismiss 1192 i n turn question question, and t h a t t h e judgment i s the case." ( A l a . C i v . App. 'terminal complete "The Co., d e c i s i o n which a d j u d i c a t i o n of Hubbard 2006). v. "[A] demonstrates a l l matters in c o n t r o v e r s y b e t w e e n t h e l i t i g a n t s . ' " Dees v. S t a t e , 563 So. 2d 1059, 1061 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1990) 496 So. 2d 91, 92 In the adjudication parties ( A l a . C i v . App. present case, father's request the for visitation. a n o n f i n a l judgment. (dismissing the not a i n controversy failed Therefore, between the address to we complete the conclude 15, 2009, was n o t a f i n a l and t h a t t h e f a t h e r ' s a p p e a l Thompson v. H a l l i w e l l , was j u v e n i l e court t h e o r d e r e n t e r e d on A p r i l from 1986)). there of a l l the matters because ( q u o t i n g T i d w e l l v. T i d w e l l , must be d i s m i s s e d appeal 668 So. 2d 43, 45 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1995) 5 as Hubbard, as an Cf. appeal v. judgment supra. father's Hubbard that being from a nonfinal 2080686 judgment because adjudicated the the issues juvenile court of v i s i t a t i o n had and c h i l d not finally support); a l s o K e l l e y v . Thomas, 878 So. 2d 1168 ( A l a . C i v . App. (appeal trial dismissed court's as b e i n g 2003) f r o m a n o n f i n a l j u d g m e n t when t h e judgment f a i l e d t o a d d r e s s t h e f a t h e r ' s t h a t t h e m o t h e r be a w a r d e d see request visitation). APPEAL DISMISSED. Thompson, concur. P . J . , and Pittman, 6 Thomas, a n d Moore, J J . ,
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