IN RE JOHNSON & LOCKHART MINORS
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
In the Matter of DONQUAL LAMAR JOHNSON
and CARLA LOCKHART, Minors
FAMILY INDEPENDENCE AGENCY,
UNPUBLISHED
February 10, 1998
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
No. 200631
Berrien Juvenile Court
LC No. 96-000032-NA
DENISE JOHNSON,
Respondent-Appellant,
and
TOMMY JOHNSON and CARL LOCKHART,
Respondents.
Before: Gage, P.J., and Murphy and Reilly, JJ.
MEMORANDUM.
Respondent-appellant appeals as of right from the juvenile court order terminating her parental
rights to the minor children under MCL 712A19.b(3)(g) and (j); MSA 27.3178(598.19b) (3)(g) and
(j). We affirm.
The juvenile court did not clearly err in finding that the statutory grounds for termination were
established by clear and convincing evidence. MCR 5.974(I); In re Miller, 433 Mich 331, 337; 445
NW2d 161 (1989). Further, respondent-appellant failed to show that termination of her parental rights
was clearly not in the children’s best interests. In re Hall-Smith, 222 Mich App 470, 472-473; 564
NW2d 156 (1997). Thus, the juvenile court did not err in terminating respondent-appellant’s parental
rights to the children. MCL 712A.19b(5); MSA 27.3178(598.19b)(5).
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The record in this case is tragically filled with repeated efforts and failures on the part of
respondent-appellant to overcome her addiction. The only serious effort at completing a treatment
program occurred in February 1996, and it occurred then only in response to petitioner’s filing of a
termination petition. While the counselors noted respondent-appellant’s progress toward recovery, they
could not prevent the relapse which followed soon after the completion of treatment. On this record,
we find that the juvenile court did not clearly err in its decision. In re Hall-Smith, supra.
Affirmed.
/s/ Hilda R. Gage
/s/ William B. Murphy
/s/ Maureen Pulte Reilly
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