Justia West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Opinion Summaries

The case involves the custody of a minor child, M.M., who was removed from her mother's custody due to the mother's drug use and subsequent arrest. After the mother's death, M.M. was placed with foster parents, A.P.-1 and A.P.-2. The child's maternal aunt, E.L., intervened to seek custody. The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DHS) initially opposed E.L.'s intervention, alleging she had assisted in the child's "kidnapping" by the maternal grandmother, an allegation that was later unsubstantiated. E.L. moved from California to West Virginia to be closer to M.M. and was granted visitation rights.The Circuit Court of Putnam County held three permanency hearings and ultimately decided that it was in M.M.'s best interest to be placed permanently with E.L. The court made extensive findings of fact, noting that M.M. had formed a bond with E.L. during visitations and that E.L. could maintain M.M.'s relationships with her biological family. The court also considered that E.L. was well-equipped to meet M.M.'s medical and developmental needs and had no other children in her home, unlike the foster parents who had three other children with varying special needs.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia reviewed the case and affirmed the circuit court's decision. The court held that the circuit court had conducted a meticulous best-interest-of-the-child analysis, considering the child's bonds with both the foster parents and E.L., and the ability of E.L. to preserve important familial relationships. The court found no error in the circuit court's placement determination and concluded that the decision to grant permanent custody to E.L. was supported by the evidence and was in M.M.'s best interest. View "In re M.M" on Justia Law

The case involves a mother (Mother) whose parental rights to her children, D.H., M.H., and J.S., were terminated by the Circuit Court of Berkeley County. The Department of Human Services (DHS) received multiple referrals over the years regarding allegations of abuse and neglect against Mother, but initially did not file a petition. The father of D.H. and M.H. filed for a protective order after M.H. disclosed sexual abuse, leading to an administrative action and the appointment of a guardian ad litem (GAL) for the children. Subsequently, the father, with the GAL, filed an abuse and neglect petition alleging physical abuse, substance abuse, and failure to care for the children.The circuit court ordered the DHS to join the petition despite its initial objection. Mother contested the allegations, claiming the children were coached to lie. She requested public funding for an expert to review the children's forensic interviews, which the court denied, finding the expert unnecessary. The court conducted in camera interviews with D.H. and M.H., finding their disclosures consistent and credible. During the adjudicatory hearings, various witnesses, including the children’s therapist and forensic interviewer, testified about the abuse and neglect. The court found the allegations proven by clear and convincing evidence and adjudicated Mother as an abusing and neglecting parent.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia reviewed the case. It held that the circuit court did not violate the separation of powers doctrine by ordering the DHS to join the petition, as both the judiciary and executive branches have overlapping obligations to protect the best interests of children. The court also found no error in denying Mother’s request to hire an expert, as the proposed testimony would not aid the court, which is the trier of fact. The court affirmed the circuit court’s findings of abuse and neglect by clear and convincing evidence and upheld the termination of Mother’s parental rights, noting her failure to acknowledge the full extent of the abuse and neglect. View "In re D.H., M.H., and J.S." on Justia Law

In this case, the petitioner, Aaron W., appealed an order from the Intermediate Court of Appeals of West Virginia (ICA) that dismissed his appeal of a family court order. The family court had disqualified Aaron W.'s attorney from representing him in a divorce proceeding due to a conflict of interest, as the attorney had previously represented both parties in a related personal injury case. The family court's order included language indicating it was a final, appealable order.Initially, Aaron W. sought a writ of prohibition from the Circuit Court of Kanawha County to prevent the family court from ruling on the disqualification motion, arguing that the family court lacked jurisdiction. The circuit court denied the writ, and the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed, holding that family courts have the authority to disqualify attorneys in cases of conflict of interest.Aaron W. then appealed the family court's disqualification order to the ICA, which dismissed the appeal, concluding that the order was interlocutory and that it lacked jurisdiction over such appeals. Aaron W. subsequently appealed the ICA's dismissal to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed the ICA's dismissal, holding that the family court's disqualification order was not a final order because it did not terminate the litigation on the merits. The court explained that the ICA generally does not have appellate jurisdiction over interlocutory appeals, as specified by West Virginia Code § 51-11-4(d)(8). The court also noted that the family court's inclusion of finality language in its order did not transform the interlocutory order into a final, appealable order. Consequently, the ICA correctly dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction. View "Aaron W. v. Evelyn W." on Justia Law

The petitioner, G.M., appealed the Circuit Court of Wyoming County's decision to terminate his parental rights to his daughter, S.M. The case began in September 2021 when the Department of Human Services (DHS) received a referral alleging drug use by S.M.'s mother, T.M. Despite a safety plan, T.M. continued to test positive for drugs, and the family was often not home during DHS visits. In March 2022, DHS filed an abuse and neglect petition after finding the home without electricity and a used needle on the counter. The petitioner waived his right to a preliminary hearing and later stipulated to the allegations without his attorney present, leading to his adjudication as an abusing and neglecting parent.The petitioner was granted an improvement period requiring him to undergo various treatments and services. However, he failed multiple drug tests and did not comply with the case plan, leading to the revocation of his improvement period in October 2022. Despite being given another chance to enter in-patient rehabilitation, the petitioner continued to test positive for drugs and was arrested for DUI in January 2023. At the final disposition hearing in March 2023, the court found no reasonable likelihood that the conditions of abuse and neglect could be corrected and terminated the petitioner's parental rights.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed the circuit court's decision. The court found that the petitioner knowingly and intelligently waived his right to counsel at the adjudicatory hearing and that the circuit court did not err in accepting his stipulation. The court also upheld the termination of parental rights, citing the petitioner's failure to comply with the improvement period and continued substance abuse, which indicated no reasonable likelihood of correcting the conditions of abuse and neglect. View "In re S.M." on Justia Law

The petitioner, J.F., appealed the Circuit Court of Kanawha County's order terminating his parental rights to his children, C.F. and T.F. The case began when the Department of Human Services (DHS) filed an abuse and neglect petition against J.F. after he was arrested for various charges, including child neglect. The petition alleged that J.F. had committed acts of domestic violence and verbal abuse in the presence of C.F. T.F. was living with his paternal grandparents under a legal guardianship at the time. The petition included historical allegations of domestic violence involving T.F.'s mother, M.H., and J.F., but no recent allegations involving T.F.The Circuit Court adjudicated J.F. as an abusive and neglectful parent and found both children to be abused and neglected. At the disposition hearing, the court terminated J.F.'s parental rights, citing his incarceration and denial of the abuse, which prevented DHS from providing remedial services. The court also denied J.F. post-termination visitation with his children.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia reviewed the case. The court found that the Circuit Court failed to make specific findings regarding T.F. being an abused or neglected child, as required by West Virginia Code § 49-4-601. The court noted that T.F. was living with non-abusive guardians and that the allegations of domestic violence involving T.F. were outdated. Consequently, the court vacated the Circuit Court's adjudicatory and dispositional orders concerning T.F. and remanded the case for further proceedings to determine if T.F. met the statutory definition of an abused or neglected child.The court affirmed the termination of J.F.'s parental rights to C.F., agreeing with the lower court's findings that the conditions of abuse and neglect were unlikely to improve due to J.F.'s denial of the circumstances. The court also upheld the denial of post-termination visitation, finding no evidence of a close emotional bond between J.F. and his children or that continued contact would not be detrimental to their well-being. View "In re C.F. and T.F." on Justia Law

The case involves a mother, N.C.-F., who appealed a decision by the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia, regarding the placement of her children, M.F.-1, M.F.-2, and M.F.-3. The children's father had admitted to killing M.F.-3's mother, leading to an abuse and neglect case. The West Virginia Department of Human Services (DHS) placed M.F.-3 with his maternal aunt, S.M., while M.F.-1 and M.F.-2 remained in N.C.-F.'s physical custody, but their legal custody was with the DHS. The court terminated the father's parental rights and restored legal custody of M.F.-1 and M.F.-2 to N.C.-F. However, it denied N.C.-F.'s request for placement of M.F.-3 with her and his half-siblings.The Circuit Court of Kanawha County adjudicated M.F.-1, M.F.-2, and M.F.-3 as abused and neglected children based on the father's actions. The court terminated the father's parental rights and restored legal custody of M.F.-1 and M.F.-2 to N.C.-F. However, it denied N.C.-F.'s request for placement of M.F.-3 with her and his half-siblings, determining that maintaining M.F.-3’s placement with S.M. served his best interests.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed the lower court's decision. It found that the circuit court did not err in its rulings, including the decision to maintain M.F.-3’s placement with S.M. The court also found that the circuit court did not violate N.C.-F.'s constitutional due process rights by placing custody of her children with the DHS during the abuse and neglect proceedings. The court concluded that the circuit court's decision to place M.F.-3 with S.M. was in the child's best interest and that the court had properly facilitated regular visitation between M.F.-3 and his half-siblings. View "In Re M.F.-1" on Justia Law

The case involves a dispute between Christopher P. (Father) and Amanda C. (Mother) over the custody of their two children. The Family Court of Upshur County was set to hold a final hearing on the matter, but a scheduling conflict arose for Mother's counsel, who was also due to appear in the Circuit Court of Webster County at the same time. Despite Mother's counsel notifying the courts of the conflict, the family court proceeded with the hearing in the absence of Mother and her counsel. The family court then ruled that the children should primarily reside with Father.Mother appealed to the Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA), arguing that the family court had wrongly failed to yield its hearing time to the circuit court. The ICA granted Mother a new custody hearing, but based its decision on the conclusion that the family court had applied the wrong version of West Virginia Code § 48-9-206. Father then appealed this decision to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia reversed the ICA's decision in part, agreeing with the ICA that Mother is due a new hearing in family court, but disagreeing with the ICA's conclusion that the family court had applied the wrong version of the law. The Supreme Court found that the family court had abused its discretion by proceeding with the hearing in the absence of Mother and her counsel, and remanded the case back to the family court for a new hearing. View "Christopher P. v. Amanda C." on Justia Law

The case involves the paternal grandparents of a child, M.F. III, who sought to intervene in an abuse and neglect proceeding following the fatal stabbing of the child's mother by his father. The grandparents, who lived in Baltimore, Maryland, but had a second home in Charleston, West Virginia, filed three motions to intervene in the proceedings, seeking placement of the child and/or visitation rights. The Circuit Court of Kanawha County denied all three motions. The grandparents appealed, arguing that the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DHS) failed to conduct a home study to determine their suitability as adoptive parents, as required by West Virginia Code § 49-4-114(a)(3).The Circuit Court of Kanawha County had previously reviewed the case. The court denied the grandparents' motions to intervene in the abuse and neglect proceedings. The court also did not order the DHS to conduct a home study to assess the grandparents' suitability as adoptive parents, despite the termination of the father's parental rights and the child's placement in the DHS's permanent custody.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed the lower court's decision to deny the grandparents' motions to intervene, as they did not fall within the class of individuals who may seek permissive intervention under West Virginia Code § 49-4-601(h). However, the court found that the DHS had failed to comply with the mandatory requirement of West Virginia Code § 49-4-114(a)(3) to consider the grandparents' suitability as adoptive parents. The court remanded the case with directions for the DHS to comply with the statute and for the circuit court to determine the child's best interests for permanent placement following the DHS's compliance. View "In Re M.F. III" on Justia Law

The case involves a mother, M.L., who has a history of substance abuse and involvement with the Department of Human Services (DHS). She has four children, all of whom have been affected by her substance abuse. The case at hand pertains to her fourth child, H.T., who was born drug-addicted. After H.T.'s birth, the court transferred his custody to DHS, which placed him with his father's relatives. M.L. was granted a disposition that allowed her to retain her parental rights while H.T. remained in the physical and legal custody of his father, D.T. However, D.T. died of a drug overdose, leaving H.T. without a legal guardian.The Circuit Court of Marion County had previously granted M.L. a disposition that allowed her to retain her parental rights while H.T. remained in the physical and legal custody of his father. After D.T.'s death, M.L., acting as a self-represented litigant, filed a motion to modify disposition to regain custody of H.T. However, the court found that M.L. had not shown a material change in circumstances warranting a less restrictive alternative than the previous disposition.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed the lower court's decision. The court found that M.L. had a long history of substance abuse and had exhausted all improvement periods and services available to her. Despite her claims of sobriety, she continued to test positive for drugs. The court concluded that there was no reasonable likelihood that the conditions of abuse and neglect could be corrected in the near future and that it was in H.T.'s best interest to terminate M.L.'s parental rights. View "In re H.T." on Justia Law

The State of West Virginia sought a writ of prohibition to prevent the Circuit Court of Monongalia County from enforcing its order dismissing a six-count indictment against J.L. and D.F., who were charged with crimes relating to child abuse and neglect. The Circuit Court had dismissed the indictment based on its assessment of the evidence presented in a related abuse and neglect proceeding, concluding that no trial jury could convict the parents based on that evidence. The State argued that the Circuit Court had exceeded its legitimate powers by dismissing the indictment.Previously, the Circuit Court had dismissed the indictment on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to support it. The court based its decision on its knowledge of the evidence from a related abuse and neglect proceeding, and its opinion regarding the State's likelihood of obtaining convictions by a petit jury.The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia granted the writ of prohibition. The court found that the Circuit Court had exceeded its legitimate powers by dismissing the indictment based on its improper consideration of evidence in a prior proceeding. The court held that a circuit court may not grant a defendant's pretrial motion to dismiss an indictment on the basis of the sufficiency of the evidence or whether a factual basis for the indictment exists. The court concluded that the State was entitled to the requested writ of prohibition, as the Circuit Court's order was clearly erroneous as a matter of law, and the State would be damaged in a way that was not correctable on appeal. View "State of West Virginia ex rel. State of West Virginia v. Gwaltney" on Justia Law