MATTER OF M G M

Annotate this Case

Download PDF

No. 81-523 IPJ THE SUJ?REME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA 1982 IN THE MATTER OF M.G.M., YOUTH IN NEED O P CARE. Appeal from: District Court of the Thirteenth ~udicialDistrict, In and for the County of Yellowstone Honorable Charles Luedke, Judqe presiding. Counsel of Record: For Appellant: Patten and Renz, Billings, Montana Jeffrey Renz argued, Billings, Montana For Respondent: Olsen, Christensen and Gannett, Billinqs, Montana Damon Gannett arqued, Billings, Montana Harold F. Hanser, County Attorney, Billinqs, Montana Stephen Rowinski arqued, Deputy County Attorney, Billings, Montana Submitted: September 17, 1982 Decided: December 9, 1982 Clerk- I . ~ u s t i c eF r a n k B. Court. M o r r i s o n . J r . , d e l i v e r e d t h e O p i n i o n of t h e Frank F i t z g e r a l d , appeals from a the judgment natural issued f a t h e r of by the the child, M.G.M., Court District of the T h i r t e e n t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t , Yellowstone County, t e r m i n a t i n g h i s parental rights. was b o r n o u t of w e d l o c k on J u n e 1 0 , 1 9 7 2 . The c h i l d , M.G.M., S h e l i v e d s o l e l y w i t h h e r m o t h e r u n t i l 1 9 7 9 , when t h e D e p a r t m e n t of Social and Rehabilitation f o s t e r home. I n A p r i l 1980, Services (SRS) the mother's placed her in a p a r e n t a l r i g h t s were terminated. When a p p e l l a n t d i s c o v e r e d mother's parental rights, n i t y of the proceedings to terminate he f i l e d a n acknowledgement of the pa ter- t h e c h i l d and s o u g h t u n s u c c e s s f u l l y t o i n t e r v e n e i n t h e proceedings. On May 2 8 , 1 9 8 0 , SRS f i l e d a p e t i t i o n f o r t e m p o r a r y i n v e s t i gative a u t h o r i t y and p r o t e c t i v e was i n d a n g e r of The District being Court services, a b u s e d and granted the claiming neglected petition. t h a t M.G.M. by t h e a p p e l l a n t . Appellant was not a l l o w e d c o n t a c t w i t h t h e c h i l d e x c e p t by r e c o m m e n d a t i o n of m e n t a l h e a l t h w o r k e r and p s y c h i a t r i c n u r s e , Mary Honaker . The D i s t r i c t Court also ordered a p p e l l a n t t o undergo a p s y c h o l o g i c a l evaluation. I n J u l y 1 9 8 0 , a p p e l l a n t was a l l o w e d t o meet w i t h h i s c h i l d f o r the first time. Two o n e - h o u r s u p e r v i s i o n o f Mary Honaker . because t h e c h i l d appeared On S e p t e m b e r 11, 1 9 8 0 , s e s s i o n s were h e l d under t h e The m e e t i n g s were t h e n d i s c o n t i n u e d u p s e t and f r i g h t e n e d by h e r f a t h e r . t h e g u a r d i a n ad l i t e m f o r t h e c h i l d f i l e d a p e t i t i o n t o d e t e r m i n e p a t e r n i t y and to d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r a p p e l l a n t ' s p a r e n t a l r i g h t s s h o u l d be t e r m i n a t e d u n d e r t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e U n i f o r m P a r e n t a g e A c t s p e c i f i c a l l y s e c t i o n 40-6-130, MCA. On S e p t e m b e r 2 3 , 41-3-401, neglected, MCA, and asking 1 9 8 0 , SRS f i l e d a p e t i t i o n u n d e r s e c t i o n that requesting M.G.M. permanent be declared custody and dependent authority and to a s s e n t to a d o p t i o n . Court consolidated Over o b j e c t i o n s by a p p e l l a n t , the proceedings the District b r o u g h t by t h e g u a r d i a n and t h e SRS. On November 1 4 , 1 9 8 0 , p u r s u a n t to s e c t i o n 40-6-111, District Court declared MCA, the t h a t a p p e l l a n t w a s t h e n a t u r a l f a t h e r of M.G.M. A series of h e a r i n g s were t h e n h e l d . dence a t these hearings pertained N e a r l y a l l of t h e e v i - to t h e mental h e a l t h of the c h i l d and h e r f a t h e r . Based o n t h e t e s t i m o n y a t t h e h e a r i n g s , made the following significant the D i s t r i c t findings of "5. T h a t t h e n a t u r a l m o t h e r o f M.G.M. was d i a g n o s e d as a n u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d s c h i z o p h r e n i c , and t h a t M.G.M. spent the f i r s t five y e a r s of h e r l i f e l i v i n g i n h e r custody. D u r i n g t h a t t i m e , M.G.M. f a i l e d to develop n o r m a l l y as a c h i l d , and e x h i b i t e d some of t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s found i n s c h i z o p h r e n i a . She a l s o s u f f e r e d from a f a i l u r e to d e v e l o p self-identity, having adapted t o a roler e v e r s a l with h e r mother. During such f i v e y e a r s , F r a n k [ a p p e l l a n t ] was r e j e c t e d by t h e knew him m o t h e r i n a l l c o n t a c t s ; and M.G.M. o n l y t h r o u g h t h e m o t h e r ' s r e v u l s i o n to him and h e r i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of him as t h e ' k o o k . ' " 6 . T h a t t h e r e is a s t a t i s t i c a l l y - e s t a b l i s h e d r e l a t i o n s h i p between s c h i z o p h r e n i a i n p a r e n t s and c o n s e q u e n t d e v e l o p m e n t of s c h i z o p h r e n i a i n c h i l d r e n , b a s e d upon g e n e t i c and e n v i r o n m e n t a l factors. "7. That because of M.G.M. I s genetic b a c k g r o u n d , as w e l l as t h e e n v i r o n m e n t i n w h i c h s h e l i v e d f o r t h e f i r s t f i v e y e a r s of h e r l i f e , s h e i s ' a t r i s k ' t o d e v e l o p t h e ment a l i l l n e s s of s c h i z o p h r e n i a . "8. M.G.M., i n a d d i t i o n , is a v e r y i n t e l l i g e n t and p a r t i c u l a r l y s e n s i t i v e , f r a g i l e and c h a m e l e o n - l i k e young l a d y , f o r whom it is extremely important t o provide a strong , s t a b l e a d u l t f e m a l e r o l e model i n o r d e r t h a t s h e may d e v e l o p n o r m a l l y from a g i r l i n t o a young woman. "9. F r a n k is s k i l l e d i n t h e f i e l d o f e l e c t r o n i c s and is r e g u l a r l y employed w i t h a good work r e c o r d . He g e t s along with h i s f e l l o w H e is a e m p l o y e e s and i s f i n a n c i a l l y s o u n d . law-abiding citizen. He h a s never been m a r r i e d , and t h e l o n g e s t p e r i o d of close assoc i a t i o n w i t h a woman h a s b e e n s e v e n m o n t h s . " 1 0 . T h a t F r a n k h a s a m e d i c a l h i s t o r y which includes a diagnosis by the Veterans A d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n 1963, as: Court fact: . . . "' schizophrenic reaction, undifferent i a t e d t y p e , i n a good p a r t i a l r e m i s s i o n , emotions, manifested b y some b l u n t i n g o f restricted interests, mentally competent ... 1 " f o r which he r e c e i v e s a 70% d i s a b i l i t y pension. "11. That Frank has a l s o been diagnosed a s a s c h i z o p h r e n i c b y D r . Ned T r a n e l a clinical That p s y c h o l o g i s t , a s of J u l y 3 O t h , 1 9 8 0 . c o n c l u s i o n is e c h o e d by t h e p s y c h i a t r i c n u r s e , Mary H o n a k e r , who h a s had p a s t c o n t a c t w i t h and F r a n k i n t h e c o u r s e of w o r k i n g w i t h M.G.M. M.G.M. I s m o t h e r o v e r t h e y e a r s s i n c e p r i o r to M.G.M. ' s b i r t h . "12. Frank has a l s o been diagnosed a s having a s c h i z o t y p a l p e r s o n a l i t y d i s o r d e r by D r . S t e p h e n Wagner, a n o t h e r c l i n i c a l p s y c h o l o g i s t . T h i s is a c o n d i t i o n which is s a i d t o make him l e s s t h a n i d e a l a s a p a r e n t , b u t n o t to r e n d e r h i m c o m p l e t e l y i n a d e q u a t e making p o s s i b l e a t r i a l p e r i o d of c l o s e l y monitored v i s i t a t i o n a s an evidenceb e t w e e n F r a n k and M.G.M. gathering device for a l a t e r determination a s t o custody. " 1 5 . E f f o r t s a t a c c o m p l i s h i n g v i s i t a t i o n bet w e e n F r a n k and M.G.M. were r e c e n t l y made, and t w o meetings did occur. The r e s u l t s were described a s a Ismothering' by Frank of M.G.M., w i t h a n a d v e r s e e f f e c t upon M.G.M. in t h e form o f e x t r e m e f r i g h t , a five-pound w e i g h t l o s s , s t r e s s , and a r e g r e s s i o n i n A s a consequence, v i s i t a t i o n reality testing e f f o r t s were t e r m i n a t e d . . "16. T h a t on t h e b a s i s of t h e t o t a l i t y of t h e psychiatric and psychological examinations conducted of Frank, t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e o t h e r e v i d e n c e a d d u c e d , it is c l e a r t h a t p l a c i n g c u s t o d y o f M.G.M. w i t h F r a n k would i n c r e a s e t h e r i s k o f h e r becoming m e n t a l l y ill b y a p r o b a b i l i t y g r e a t e r t h a n 5 0 % a t a minimum, i n t h e v i e w of o n e w i t n e s s , and t o a n a l m o s t cert a i n t y i n t h e v i e w of o t h e r s . B e c a u s e of t h e demonstrated adaptive characteristics of M.G.M., it i s c l e a r t h a t a p l a c e m e n t of h e r w i t h F r a n k w i l l c l e a r l y r e s u l t i n a l o s s of h e r own i d e n t i t y and d e v e l o p m e n t , and t i p t h e a l r e a d y heavily-weighted s c a l e o f M.G.M. I s f u t u r e a g a i n s t h e r normal development. " 1 7 . Under t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s e x i s t i n g , i t would be d e t r i m e n t a l to t h e best i n t e r e s t s of M.G.M. to d e f e r a f i n a l d e c i s i o n with r e s p e c t t o h e r c u s t o d y p e n d i n g t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of f u r t h e r v i s i t s w i t h Frank a s a n evidenceg a t h e r i n g measure, s i n c e t h e a d a p t i v e charact e r i s t i c s o f M.G.M. would r e n d e r t h e r e s u l t s u n t r u s t w o r t h y a n d , a l s o b e c a u s e of F r a n k ' s determination to reject any results not f a v o r a b l e t o h i s d i s p o s i t i o n s i n a n y and a l l events. The s t a t u s of t h e e v i d e n c e c l e a r l y a d v i s e s t h a t t h e p r o c e s s of a t t e m p t i n g E u r t h e r t r i a l v i s i t a t i o n would i n i t s e l f be a d e s t r u c t i v e o n e f r o m M.G.M. I s s t a n d p o i n t . " 1 8 . Under t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s e x i s t i n g , it would a l s o be d e t r i m e n t a l to t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t o f M.G.M. t o be p l a c e d i n t h e permanent c u s t o d y of Frank." The D i s t r i c t C o u r t t h e n c o n c l u d e d as a matter of law t h a t it would be i n M.G.M. ' s b e s t i n t e r e s t to p l a c e h e r i n t h e c u s t o d y o f SRS, appellant's and that parental rights terminated. be A p p e l l a n t has r a i s e d t h e following i s s u e s f o r review: (1) W h e t h e r t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t e r r e d by a p p l y i n g t h e " b e s t i n t e r e s t s of t h e c h i l d " t e s t i n s e c t i o n 40-6-130(1), of instead MCA, t h e " a b u s e and n e g l e c t " s t a n d a r d s i n s e c t i o n s 41-3-401, MCA, e t seq.? W h e t h e r t h e r e is c l e a r and c o n v i n c i n g e v i d e n c e to sup- (2) p o r t e i t h e r t h e " b e s t i n t e r e s t s o f t h e c h i l d " t e s t or t h e " a b u s e and n e g l e c t " t e s t ? Whether p s y c h i a t r i c n u r s e , (3) Mary H o n a k e r , t o g i v e a n e x p e r t o p i n i o n and d i a g n o s i s of was q u a l i f i e d appellant's mental health? claims t h a t Appellant s e c t i o n s 40-6-128 and 40-6-130, MCA, s h o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n a p p l i e d t o him, and t h a t t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t therefore erred by terminating rights W e a g r e e and a b u s e or n e g l e c t . f i n d i n g s of h i s parental absent any remand f o r f u r t h e r findings. Here, the i n t e r e s t s of District Court apparently applied the "best t h e c h i l d " s t a n d a r d from s e c t i o n 4 0 - 6 - 1 3 0 ( 1 ) , MCA. S e c t i o n 40-6-130 ( 1), MCA, p r o v i d e s i n p a r t : " I f t h e c o u r t f i n d s i t would n o t be i n t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s of t h e c h i l d to g r a n t c u s t o d y to t h e putative f a t h e r , the court s h a l l terminate h i s r i g h t s t o the child." S e c t i o n 40-6-128(1), of the child" test MCA, should d e s c r i b e s when t h e " b e s t i n t e r e s t s be applied to a putative " I f a c h i l d is b o r n o u t o f w e d l o c k and t h e m o t h e r e x e c u t e s o r p r o p o s e s to e x e c u t e a r e l e a s e t e r m i n a t i n a h e r r i a h t s to t h e c h i l d o r th c becomes - s u b j e -- t c the c f --i f --- e ---- h i l d o t h e r w i s e .a n ----- o p t i o n p r o c e e d i n g , t h e a g e n c y p e r s o n t o ad -whom the child h a s - b e e n or i s t o be - - father: r e l i n q u i s h e d o r t h e m o t h e r or p e r s o n h a v i n g c u s t o d y of t h e c h i l d s h a l l f i l e a p e t i t i o n i n t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t to t e r m i n a t e t h e p a r e n t a l r i g h t s of t h e f a t h e r , u n l e s s t h e f a t h e r ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p to t h e c h i l d h a s b e e n p r e v i o u s l y t e r m i n a t e d o r d e t e r m i n e d n o t t o e x i s t by t h e c o u r t . The c o u r t s h a l l h o l d a h e a r i n g as s o o n a s p r a c t i c a l t o d e t e r m i n e t h e i d e n t i t y of t h e f a t h e r and t o d e t e r m i n e or t e r m i n a t e t h e r i g h t s of t h e f a t h e r as provided i n t h i s s e c t i o n and 40-6-129 and 40-6-130 ( Emphasis added. ) . . ." The k e y l a n g u a g e h e r e is " o r i f t h e s u b j e c t of R e s p o n d e n t s claim t h a t an a d o p t i o n proceeding." when t h e m o t h e r ' s ject t h e c h i l d o t h e r w i s e becomes r i g h t s were t e r m i n a t e d , t h e c h i l d became s u b - t o a "potential adoptive proceeding." Admittedly, however, is a SRS i s s e e k i n g t e m p o r a r y c u s t o d y o n t h e g r o u n d s t h a t M.G.M. y o u t h i n need o f care and n e g l e c t e d o r a b u s e d w i t h i n t h e meaning of a governing , 41-3-401, section et seq. "youth in need MCA. such, As of care" the provisions proceeding must be controlling. M o r e o v e r , s e c t i o n 40-6-128, the child the appellant's to right parental MCA, d i d n o t g i v e t h e g u a r d i a n of petition rights. for Only " t h e termination agency, of the t o whom person t h e c h i l d h a s b e e n or is r e l i n q u i s h e d o r t h e m o t h e r or t h e p e r s o n h a v i n g c u s t o d y " may f i l e a p e t i t i o n f o r d e t e r m i n a t i o n of a p u t a tive father's rights. The D i s t r i c t C o u r t e r r e d b y c o n s o l i d a t i n g t h e g u a r d i a n ' s p e t i t i o n w i t h t h a t o f SRS. It is well-established that absent findings of abuse or n e g l e c t b a s e d upon c l e a r and c o n v i n c i n g e v i d e n c e , p a r e n t a l r i g h t s may n o t be t e r m i n a t e d . Matter of G u a r d i a n s h i p of Doney ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 1 7 4 Mont. 575; 2 8 2 , 5 7 0 P.2d 1 8 2 Mont. 1 0 0 , 594 P.2d U.S. 645, 92 S.Ct. I n re t h e Matter of J . L . B . 1 1 2 7 ; and S t a n l e y v . 1 2 0 8 , 3 1 L.Ed.2d 551. (1979), I l l i n o i s (1972), 405 These c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y p r o t e c t e d p a r e n t a l i n t e r e s t s i n t h e c h i l d a r e n o t weakened by t h e f a c t t h a t a c h i l d is b o r n o u t of w e d l o c k . P.2d a t 1 1 3 6 , r e f e r r i n g to S t a n l e y v. 92 S.Ct. a t 1 2 1 3 , 3 1 L.Ed.2d Further, neglect, this Court Matter of J . L . B . , I l l i n o i s , 4 0 5 U.S. 594 651-652, a t 559. has held that a finding or d e p e n d e n c y " is t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n a l of abuse, prerequisite for a n y c o u r t o r d e r e d t r a n s f e r of Mont. 3 2 1 , 570 P.2d custody." . I n re Gore ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 1 7 4 1110, 1113. O n l y a f t e r a s h o w i n g o f d e p e n d e n c y , a b u s e , o r n e g l e c t , is t h e "best interests of the determining custody. child" test the appropriate basis for S e e Doney, s u p r a ; -Gore, s u p r a ; H e n d e r s o n v . - A - H e n d e r s o n ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 1 7 3 Mont. 4 2 9 , 5 6 8 P.2d of t h e G u a r d i a n s h i p of Aschenbrenner 1 7 7 ; and I n t h e Matter ( 1 9 7 9 ) , 1 8 2 Mont. 5 4 0 , 5 9 7 T h e r e f o r e , t h e District Court h e r e w a s o b l i g a t e d to f i n d t h a t t h e c h i l d w a s a " y o u t h i n need of c a r e " and a b u s e d or n e g l e c t e d in to order rights. deprive Section appellant 41-3-102, of custody and provides MCA, terminate the his applicable definitions: " ( 2 ) An ' a b u s e d o r n e g l e c t e d c h i l d ' means a c h i l d whose n o r m a l p h y s i c a l o r m e n t a l h e a l t h o r w e l f a r e i s harmed or t h r e a t e n e d w i t h harm by t h e acts o r omissions of h i s p a r e n t o r o t h e r person responsible f o r h i s welfare. " ( 3 ) ' H a r m t o a c h i l d ' s h e a l t h or w e l f a r e ' means t h e harm t h a t o c c u r s w h e n e v e r t h e p a r e n t or o t h e r person r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e c h i l d ' s welfare: " ( a ) i n f l i c t s or allows t o be i n f l i c t e d upon t h e c h i l d p h y s i c a l or m e n t a l i n j u r y , i n c l u d i n g i n j u r i e s s u s t a i n e d as a r e s u l t of e x c e s s i v e c o r p o r a l punishment; "(5) harm. ' T h r e a t e n e d h a r m ' means i m m i n e n t r i s k of " ( 8 ) ' M e n t a l i n j u r y ' means a n i d e n t i f i a b l e and s u b s t a n t i a l impairment of t h e c h i l d I s i n t e l l e c t u a l or p s y c h o l o g i c a l f u n c t i o n i n g . " During appellate argument, the guardian for the child a d m i t t e d t h a t t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t had n o t made a n y f i n d i n g s t h a t the c h i l d w a s a b u s e d or n e g l e c t e d o n l y determined these the child's f i n d i n g s do n o t best provide by a p p e l l a n t . interests. More i m p o r t a n t l y , a s u f f i c i e n t basis c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e c h i l d would be i n d a n g e r o f o n which to " i m m i n e n t r i s k of harm" i f s h e l i v e d w i t h o r v i s i t e d w i t h a p p e l l a n t . remand t h i s case f o r f u r t h e r f i n d i n g s . The f i n d i n g s We therefore On remand, appellant the opinion of the psychiatric W e a g r e e t h a t t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n of a p e r s o n as a n e x p e r t is w i t h i n t h e d i s c r e t i o n of the trial court, a n d c a n be s e t a s i d e o n l y upon a b u s e of d i s c r e t i o n . S t a t e (1982), 702, that is s u f f e r i n g f r o m s c h i z o p h r e n i a s h o u l d n o t be a d m i t t e d without f u r t h e r foundation. Rule nurse -- - -- Mont M.R.Evid. . - - .- -- - , 6 4 7 P.2d Nevertheless, 364, nothing Goodnough v . 39 S t . R e p . in this 1170. record s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e n u r s e h a s had t h e t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , o r educ a t i o n t o diagnose schizophrenia. See J e n k i n s v. U.S. (1962), 307 F.2d 6 3 7 . The District further findings. Court judgment is reversed and remanded for

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.