no. 01-17-00327-cv no. 01-17-00328-cv no. 01-17-00329-cv in the court of appeals for the first ...

809 Pages·2017·4.49 MB·English

by  Mary Crane

ACCEPTED
01-17-00329-CV
FIRST COURT OF APPEALS
HOUSTON, TEXAS
10/2/2017 10:30 PM
CHRISTOPHER PRINE
CLERK
NO. 01-17-00327-CV
NO. 01-17-00328-CV
NO. 01-17-00329-CV FILED IN
1st COURT OF APPEALS

HOUSTON, TEXAS

10/2/2017 10:30:03 PM
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS
CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
FOR THE FIRST DISTRICT Clerk
OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON, TEXAS

IN THE INTEREST OF K.P.M., A CHILD
IN THE INTEREST OF M.K.F. AND S.M.F., CHILDREN
IN THE INTEREST OF S.L.F., A.D.T. AND A.A.T., CHILDREN

S.M.F. AKA S.F., APPELLANT
vs.
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND
PROTECTIVE SERVICES, APPELLEE

ON APPEAL FROM
THE 310TH DISTRICT COURT OF
HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS
TRIAL COURT CAUSE NOS. 2016-16344; 2010-26768; 2015-43569

ORIGINAL APPELLANT’S BRIEF

CRANE LANE LLP

Donald M. Crane
State Bar No. 05005900
810 South Mason Road, Suite 350
Katy, Texas 77450
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
[email protected]

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT

NO ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED
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IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL
Respondent/Appellant: Trial Counsel:
S.M.F., Mother Chad-Hassan Jordan
8831 Long Point Road
#401
Houston, Texas 77055

Appellate Counsel:
Donald M. Crane
Crane Lane LLP
810 South Mason Road
Suite 350
Katy, Texas 77450
[email protected]
[phone] fax

Petitioner/Appellee: Trial Counsel:
Department of De’ Anna Carlson
Family and Protective Assistant County Attorney
Services 1019 Congress Avenue
15th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002-1700
[email protected]
[phone] fax

Appellate Counsel:
Robert J. Hazeltine-Shedd
Assistant County Attorney
1019 Congress Avenue
17th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002-1700
Robert.Hazeltine-
[email protected]
[phone] fax

2
Children: Ad Litem:
K.P.M. Katie Flynn
17077 Texas Avenue
#58745
Webster, Texas 77598
[phone] fax

Respondent: Trial Counsel:
K.K.B. aka K.B., Rachel L. Leal-Hudson
Father 6601 Cypresswood Drive
Suite 125
Spring, Texas 77379-7702
[phone] fax

Respondent: Trial Counsel:
R.B. Lance B. Medland
Father and Unknown Father 3355 West Alabama
Suite 100
Houston, Texas 77098
[phone] fax

Respondent: Trial Counsel:
A.T., Theodore F. Trigg
Father P.O. Box 10009
Houston, Texas 77206
[phone] fax

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STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT
Appellant S.M.F. aka S.F. does not request oral argument unless deemed
necessary.

RECORD REFERENCES
Clerk’s Record:
The Clerk’s record in each case consists of one (1) volume and is referred to
herein as CR-1 for No. 01-17-00327-CV; CR-2 for No. 01-17-00328-CV; CR-3 for
No. 01-17-00329-CV, followed by the page number(s).

Reporter’s Record:
The court reporter’s trial record in each case consists of four (4) volumes. The
trial testimony is found in volumes two and three and is referred to as (RR) followed
by the volume, page and line number(s). The Exhibits are found in the fourth
volume. The relevant Exhibits are identified by the offering party and Exhibit
number referenced in Appeal No. 01-17-00327-CV unless otherwise noted.

Statutory Citation References:

Unless otherwise indicated, all statutory references made herein refer to the
Texas Family Code.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL 2

STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT 4

RECORD REFERENCES 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES (Cases) 7

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES (Statutes and Rules) 10

PARTY/PARTICIPANT REFERENCES 11

STATEMENT OF THE CASE 12

ISSUES PRESENTED 15

APPELLANT’S BRIEF 16

STATEMENT OF FACTS 17

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT 21

ARGUMENTS AND AUTHORITIES 22

Standard of Review 22

Best Interest 24

ISSUE ONE 26

Applicable Law 26

Analysis and Argument 27

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ISSUE TWO 28

Applicable Law 28

Analysis and Argument 29

ISSUE THREE 31

Applicable Law 31

Analysis and Argument 31

ISSUE FOUR 32

Applicable Law 32

Analysis and Argument 32

ISSUE FIVE 33

Applicable Law 33

Analysis and Argument 34

ISSUE SIX 36

Applicable Law 36

Analysis and Argument 36

ISSUE SEVEN 37

Applicable Law 37

Analysis and Argument 39

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ISSUE EIGHT 46

Applicable Law 46

Analysis and Argument 47

CONCLUSION AND PRAYER 48

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE 49

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 50

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES
STATE CASES PAGE

Avery v. State, 963 S.W.2d 550 29
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 1997, no writ)

City of Keller v. Wilson, 168 S.W.3d 802 (Tex. 2005) 22

Holick v. Smith, 685 S.W.2d 18 (Tex. 1985) 21

Holley v. Adams, 544 S.W.2d 367 (Tex. 1976) 23, 26

Horavitch v. Dept. Protective & Reg. Servs. 78 .W. 3d 594 42
(Tex. App. – Austin 2002, no pet.)

In the Interest of D.T., 34 S.W.3d 625, 631 23
(Tex. App.-Fort Worth 2000, pet. denied)

In the Interest of E.S.S., 131 S.W.2d 632 21
(Tex. App. - Fort Worth 2004, no pet.)

In the Interest of K.C.M., 4 S.W.3d 392 [Tex. App-Houston 22
(1st Dist.) 1999, pet denied]
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In re A.A.A., 265 S.W.3d 507, 516 (Tex. App. – 24
Houston [14th Dist.] 2008, pet. Denied)

In re A.A.M., 464 S.W.3d 421 29
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2015, no pet.)

In re A.I.G., 135 S.W.3d 687, 692 (Tex. App. – 24
San Antonio 2003, no pet.)

In re C.H., 89 S.W.3d 17 (Tex. 2002) 22, 36, 37, 39
In re C.J.S., 383 S.W.3d 682
(Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 2012, no pet.) 36

In re C.L.C. 119 S.W. 3d 382 26
(Tex. App. – Tyler 2003, no pet.)

In re D.N., 405 S.W.3d 32

In re D.T., 34 S.W.3d 625, 632 26
(Tex. App. – Fort Worth 2000, pet. denied)

In re E.C.R., 402 S.W.3d 239 (Tex. 2013) 24, 37
In re E.N.C., 384 S.W.3d 809 (Tex. 2012) 37
In re G.M.G., 444 S.W.3d 46 38
(Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 2014, no pet.

In re H.R.M.., 209 S.W.3d 105 (Tex. 2006) (per curium) 39
In re J.F.C., 96 S.W.3d 256 (Tex. 2002) 21, 22, 38, 39

In re J.J., 911 S.W.2d 437, 440 25
(Tex. App. – Texarkana 1995)

In re J.M.T., ___ S.W.3d ___, 2017 WL 1281428 *9 42
8
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.], no pet.)

In re J.P.B., 180 S.W.3d 570 (Tex. 2005) (per curium) 38

In re K.P., 498 S.W.3d 157 28
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2016, pet. denied)

In re L.C., 145 S.W.3d, 790, 795-96 25
(Tex. App. – Texarkana 2004, no pet.)
In re M.C.G., 329 S.W.3d 674 32
(Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 2010, pet. denied)

In re M.R.., 243 S.W.3d 807 41
(Tex. App. – Fort Worth 2007, no pet.)

In re N.R., 101 S.W.3d 771, 776 26
(Tex. App. – 2003, no pet.)
In re S.R.L., 243 S.W.3d 232 (Tex. App. – Houston 23, 36
[14th Dist.] 2007, no pet.]

In re R.R., 209 S.W.3d 112 (Tex. 2006) 36, 40

Jordan v. Dorsey, 325 S.W.3d 700
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2010, pet. denied) 25, 28, 29

Levelling v. Levelling, 796 S.W.2d 164 (Tex. 1990) 46

Liu v. DFPS, 273 S.W.3d 785
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2008, no pet.) 34

Tex. Dep’t of Human Services v. Boyd, 727 S.W.2d 531 25, 28
(Tex. 1987)

Walker v. Tex. Dep’t of Family & Protective Servs. 312 S.W.3d 608
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2009, pet. denied) 29

Yanko v. Dept. of Family & Protective Servs. 23
196 S.W.3d 236 (Tex. App. -Houston [1st Dist.] 2006)]

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FEDERAL CASES PAGE

M.D. v. Abbott, 152 F. Supp. 3d 684 (S.D. Tex. 2015) 43

Santosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745 (1982) 21

Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645 (1972) 21

STATUTES AND RULES PAGE

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(2)
(West Supp. 2016) 36

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 101.007 21
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 153.131(a) 46
(Vernon Supp. 2015)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1) 21, 23, 36
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1)(D) 25
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1)(E) 28, 29
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1)(M) 28, 29
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1)(N) 32
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1)(O) 28, 29
(West Supp. 2016)

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