C.C. v. L.J.

Annotate this Case

Download PDF

REL: 09/06/2013 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 Courts, 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 SPECIAL TERM, 2013 2120534 C.C. v. L.J. Appeal from Limestone J u v e n i l e Court (JU-12-154.01) PER CURIAM. C.C. Limestone his ("the f a t h e r " ) J u v e n i l e Court parental appeals from a judgment ("the j u v e n i l e c o u r t " ) of the terminating r i g h t s t o J.C.C., a minor c h i l d ("the c h i l d " ) , b o r n i n November 2008 t o L . J . ("the m o t h e r " ) . We d i s m i s s t h e a p p e a l as b e i n g from a v o i d judgment. 2120534 The record action against requesting reflects that t h e mother initiated a civil the f a t h e r i n the j u v e n i l e court i n J u l y 2012, that the juvenile court e s t a b l i s h the father's p a t e r n i t y o f t h e c h i l d and t h a t t h a t c o u r t a l s o t e r m i n a t e the father's had parental purportedly r i g h t s on the b a s i s that the father a b a n d o n e d t h e c h i l d and h a d f a i l e d t o v i s i t or p r o v i d e f o r t h e m a t e r i a l needs o f t h e c h i l d . The with father, i n i t i a l l y a c t i n g p r o s e , f i l e d an answer g e n e r a l l y d e n y i n g t h e allegations of termination the mother's request, b u t HE j u v e n i l e court entered complaint pertinent to her d i d n o t deny p a t e r n i t y , and t h e on o r d e r i n S e p t e m b e r 2012 determining t h a t t h e f a t h e r was i n d e e d t h e b i o l o g i c a l f a t h e r o f t h e c h i l d . The f a t h e r , a c t i n g through counsel, and asserted visitation a counterclaim t h e n amended h i s a n s w e r seeking r i g h t s , and a c h i l d - s u p p o r t joint legal custody, award f o r t h e b e n e f i t of the mother. After an ore tenus hearing, at which the mother, the f a t h e r , and t h e m o t h e r ' s m o t h e r t e s t i f i e d , t h e j u v e n i l e entered a judgment parental rights, requested by the i n March thereby father 2013 terminating implicitly denying i n h i s counterclaim. the court father's the relief The father t i m e l y a p p e a l e d f r o m t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t , and the judge of t h a t court c e r t i f i e d the record 2 as a d e q u a t e f o r 2120534 review by t h i s court pursuant t o Rule 2 8 ( A ) ( 1 ) ( a ) , A l a . R. J u v . P. The father, i n addition to presenting challenges to the c o r r e c t n e s s o f t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t , has a s s e r t e d i n h i s b r i e f a j u r i s d i c t i o n a l challenge a t t a c k i n g the v a l i d i t y o f t h e j u d g m e n t , c o n t e n d i n g t h a t t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t d i d n o t have subject-matter jurisdiction t o hear t h e mother's petition. A l t h o u g h t h e f a t h e r ' s argument was n o t made t o t h e j u v e n i l e court i n the f i r s t subject-matter instance, a trial court's lack of j u r i s d i c t i o n may n o t be w a i v e d b y t h e p a r t i e s , and i t i s an a p p e l l a t e c o u r t ' s d u t y i n r e v i e w i n g a j u d g m e n t o f a trial court t o consider lack of subject-matter ex mero motu. See PQ, I n c . v . B i r m i n g h a m 3d 3 9 1 , 393 ( A l a . 2 0 1 1 ) . contention The 1975, T h u s , we w i l l as t o j u r i s d i c t i o n f a t h e r contends jurisdiction R e a l t y Co., 78 So. address t h e f a t h e r ' s on i t s m e r i t s . t h a t , under § 12-15-114, A l a . Code a j u v e n i l e c o u r t may n o t e x e r c i s e j u r i s d i c t i o n termination-of-parental-rights c l a i m except over a i n s o f a r as t h a t c l a i m a r i s e s o u t o f a p r o c e e d i n g i n v o l v i n g an a l l e g a t i o n a child i s dependent, delinquent, that o r i n need o f s u p e r v i s i o n . We a g r e e f o r t h e same r e a s o n s s e t o u t i n o u r o p i n i o n i n W.B.B. v. H.M.S., [Ms. 2120501, S e p t . C i v . App. 2 0 1 3 ) . 6, 2013] So. 3 d (Ala. Because the i n s t a n t t e r m i n a t i o n - o f - p a r e n t a l 3 2120534 rights proceeding delinquency, juvenile enter did not arise out of a or c h i l d - i n - n e e d - o f - s u p e r v i s i o n proceeding, court d i d n o t have subject-matter jurisdiction i t s j u d g m e n t , and i t s j u d g m e n t p u r p o r t i n g the p a r e n t a l r i g h t s of the f a t h e r i s t h e r e f o r e A void judgment g e n e r a l l y A.C. 2012). terminating will not support the appeal to terminate appeal. See ( A l a . C i v . App. i s dismissed, f o r the j u v e n i l e court to the void. an v. I n r e E.C.N., 89 So. 3d 777 Therefore, instructions dependency, to vacate albeit with i t s judgment the p a r e n t a l r i g h t s of the f a t h e r . APPEAL DISMISSED WITH INSTRUCTIONS. Thomas, Moore, and D o n a l d s o n , J J . , c o n c u r . Pittman, P.J., J., dissents, with joins. 4 w r i t i n g , which Thompson, 2120534 PITTMAN, J u d g e , d i s s e n t i n g . Because that the I disagree juvenile with court judgment from w h i c h the d i s s e n t ; I would reach Before the main lacked opinion's jurisdiction f a t h e r has the m e r i t s the respectfully i t s r e p e a l by t h e A l a b a m a J u v e n i l e J u s t i c e A c t ("the AJJA"), 1984 C h i l d P r o t e c t i o n A c t , A l a . Code 1975, A l a . Code 1975, § 12-15-101 e t s e q . , CPA"), a p p l i e d t o p r o c e e d i n g s p a r e n t a l r i g h t s was meaningful I enter appeal. 2008 ("the to appealed, of the conclusion sought. guidelines to The be used the § 26-18-1 e t seq. i n which t e r m i n a t i o n CPA was by intended "to the of of provide j u v e n i l e court in c a s e s i n v o l v i n g t h e t e r m i n a t i o n o f p a r e n t a l r i g h t s , " A l a . Code 1975, the any § 26-18-2 ( r e p e a l e d ) ( e m p h a s i s a d d e d ) , and p r o v i d e d , f i r s t time, ... t h a t such a p e t i t i o n parent, with permission i n t e r e s t e d p a r t y , " A l a . Code 1975, The CPA 1985), was to initiate Code held, reflect i n Ex p a r t e a termination 1975, § prevailing the of § the 474 i n t e n t to a c t i o n s , which, under 12-15-30(b)(6) enactment of f i l e d by court, 26-18-5(a) Johnson, legislative e x c l u s i v e j u r i s d i c t i o n of the Did c o u l d "be (repealed)), So. or ... any (repealed). 2d 715 (Ala. allow parents former law were for to (Ala. within the juvenile courts. the law under w h i c h p a r e n t s 5 AJJA alter the formerly c o u l d seek t e r m i n a t i o n of 2120534 p a r e n t a l r i g h t s i n the j u v e n i l e c o u r t ? A J J A as has a w h o l e i n d i c a t e s no been c a r r i e d f o r w a r d Code 1975, may file a petition such sections a i n t o the to of a c h i l d . " follow is the jurisdiction succeeding to hear no sections by such of the publication circumstances by the the 26-18-5 ... parent ... r i g h t s of a A l t h o u g h the p r o p e r forum f o r not leave of c o d i f i e d at A l a . parental therein doubt Taken AJJA provide be Code legislature (§ together, the (a) f o r s e r v i c e ordered j u v e n i l e court t e r m i n a t i o n o f p a r e n t a l r i g h t s may the the t h e i r former e x c l u s i v e matters. to stated, that that j u v e n i l e courts maintain process Former § A J J A and terminate petition that intended such i n t e n t . § 12-15-317, w h i c h s t a t e s t h a t "any p a r e n t or p a r e n t s filing A close review in particular 12-15-318), be o r d e r e d of (b) that by t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t upon a p r o p e r s h o w i n g o f g r o u n d s t h e r e f o r (§ 1 2 - 1 5 - 3 1 9 ) , and (c) that undertaken parents 320). by are additional the j u v e n i l e court are upon authorized court (§ from the AJJA's r e p e t i t i o u s r e f e r e n c e s in connection which termination of cases in parent which to a determination u n w i l l i n g o r u n a b l e t o a c t as p a r e n t s I glean juvenile actions a with parental seeks d i s p o s i t i o n of rights such is sought, termination, be that 12-15¬ to cases the in including that the l e g i s l a t u r e had no i n t e n t t o d e p r i v e t h e j u v e n i l e c o u r t o f i t s 6 2120534 former e x c l u s i v e j u r i s d i c t i o n to adjudicate a termination-of- p a r e n t a l - r i g h t s c l a i m s u c h as t h a t a d v a n c e d by t h e m o t h e r i n this case. Thompson, P . J . , c o n c u r s . 7

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.