no. 01-17-00480-cv no. 01-17-00481-cv no. 01-17-00484-cv in the court of appeals for the first

752 Pages·2017·4.39 MB·English

by  Mary Crane

ACCEPTED
01-17-00481-CV
FIRST COURT OF APPEALS
HOUSTON, TEXAS
9/18/2017 11:48 PM
CHRISTOPHER PRINE
CLERK
NO. 01-17-00480-CV
NO. 01-17-00481-CV
NO. 01-17-00484-CV FILED IN
1st COURT OF APPEALS

HOUSTON, TEXAS

9/18/2017 11:48:48 PM
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS
CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
FOR THE FIRST DISTRICT Clerk
OF TEXAS AT HOUSTON, TEXAS

IN THE INTEREST OF J.S.B., A CHILD
IN THE INTEREST OF E.L.B., A CHILD
IN THE INTEREST OF D.M.W. AKA D.W. A CHILD

L.S.B., APPELLANT
vs.
DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND
PROTECTIVE SERVICES, APPELLEE

ON APPEAL FROM
THE 310TH DISTRICT COURT OF
HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS
TRIAL COURT CAUSE NOS. 2011-38676; 2012-55490; 2012-05387J

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:
L.S.B., Mother Eric Terrell McFerren
7322 Southwest Freeway
Suite 2010
Houston, Texas 77074
[email protected]
[phone] fax

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:
Sandra D. Hachem
Sr. Assistant County Attorney
1019 Congress Avenue
15th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002-1700
[email protected]
[phone] fax

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Children: Ad Litem:
J.S.B., E.L.B. and Tammy Simien Moon
D.M.W. aka D.W. 1415 North Loop West
Suite 200
Houston, Texas 77008
[email protected]
[phone] fax

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STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT
Appellant L.S.B. 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. 01-17-00480-CV; CR-2 for No. 01-17-00481-CV; CR-3 for
No. 01-17-00484-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. 01-17-00480-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) 9

PARTY/PARTICIPANT REFERENCES 10

STATEMENT OF THE CASE 11

ISSUES PRESENTED 14

APPELLANT’S BRIEF 15

STATEMENT OF FACTS 16

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT 27

ARGUMENTS AND AUTHORITIES 28

Standard of Review 28

Best Interest 30

ISSUE ONE 32

Applicable Law 32

Analysis and Argument 33

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ISSUE TWO 34

Applicable Law 34

Analysis and Argument 35

ISSUE THREE 36

Applicable Law 36

Analysis and Argument 37

ISSUE FOUR 40

Applicable Law 40

Analysis and Argument 42

ISSUE FIVE 50

Applicable Law 50

Analysis and Argument 51

CONCLUSION AND PRAYER 53

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE 54

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 55

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INDEX OF AUTHORITIES
STATE CASES PAGE

Avery v. State, 963 S.W.2d 550 33
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 1997, no writ)

City of Keller v. Wilson, 168 S.W.3d 802 (Tex. 2005) 29

Holick v. Smith, 685 S.W.2d 18 (Tex. 1985) 9

Holley v. Adams, 544 S.W.2d 367 (Tex. 1976) 30,41

Horavitch v. Dept. Protective & Reg. Servs. 78 .W. 3d 594 46
(Tex. App. – Austin 2002, no pet.)

In the Interest of D.T., 34 S.W.3d 625, 631 30
(Tex. App.-Fort Worth 2000, pet. denied)

In the Interest of E.S.S., 131 S.W.2d 632 28
(Tex. App.- Fort Worth 2004, no pet.)

In re A.A.A., 265 S.W.3d 507, 516 (Tex. App. – 31
Houston [14th Dist.] 2008, pet. denied)

In re A.A.M., 464 S.W.3d 421 33
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2015, no pet.)

In re A.I.G., 135 S.W.3d 687, 692 (Tex. App. – 31
San Antonio 2003, no pet.)

In re C.H., 89 S.W.3d 17 (Tex. 2002) 29, 42 43
In re C.J.S., 383 S.W.3d 682
(Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 2012, no pet.) 41
In re D.N., 405 S.W.3d 23

In re E.C.R., 402 S.W.3d 239 (Tex. 2013) 31, 42
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In re E.N.C., 384 S.W.3d 809 (Tex. 2012) 42
In re G.M.G., 444 S.W.3d 46 42
(Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 2014, no pet.

In re H.R.M.., 209 S.W.3d 105 (Tex. 2006) (per curiam) 48
In re J.F.C., 96 S.W.3d 256 (Tex. 2002) 28, 43

In re J.M.T., ___ S.W.3d ___, 2017 WL 1281428 *9 46
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.], no pet.)

In re J.P.B.,180 S.W.3d 570 (Tex. 2005)(per curiam) 43

In re K.P., 498 S.W.3d 157 32
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2016, pet. denied)

In re M.C.G., 329 S.W.3d 674 37
(Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 2010, pet. denied)

In re M.R.., 243 S.W.3d 807 45
(Tex. App. – Fort Worth 2007, no pet.)

In re S.R.L., 243 S.W.3d 232 (Tex. App. – Houston 30, 41
[14th Dist.] 2007, no pet.]

In the Interest of K.C.M., 4 S.W.3d 392 [Tex. App-Houston 29
(1st Dist.) 1999, pet denied]

In re R.R., 209 S.W.3d 112 (Tex. 2006) 40, 41

Jordan v. Dossey, 325 S.W.3d 700
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2010, pet. denied) 32, 33

Lewelling v. Lewelling, 796 S.W.2d 164 (Tex. 1990) 51

Liu v. DFPS, 273 S.W.3d 785
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2008, no pet.) 39

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Tex. Dep’t of Human Services v. Boyd, 727 S.W.2d 531 32
(Tex. 1987)

Walker v. Tex. Dep’t of Family & Protective Servs., 312 S.W.3d 608
(Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2009, pet. denied) 33

Yonko v. Dept. of Family & Protective Servs. 30
196 S.W.3d 236 (Tex. App. -Houston [1st Dist.] 2006)]

FEDERAL CASES PAGE

M.D. v. Abbott, 152 F. Supp. 3d 684 (S.D. Tex. 2015) 48

Santosky v. Kramer, 455 U.S. 745 (1982) 28

Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645 (1972) 28

STATUTES AND RULES PAGE

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(2)
(West Supp. 2016) 13, 40

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 101.007 17
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 153.131(a) 50
(Vernon Supp. 2015)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1) 28, 30
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1)(E) 13, 32
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1)(N) 13, 34
(West Supp. 2016)
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TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(b)(1)(O) 13, 36
(West Supp. 2016)

TEX. FAM. CODE ANN. § 161.001(d) 39
(West Supp. 2017)

Tex. Fam. Code §263.307 42

PARTY/PARTICIPANT REFERENCES
Appellant, L.S.B., may be referred to as: “Appellant,” “L.S.B.,” “Respondent
Mother,” “Mother.”
Further, Appellee refers to Department of Family and Protective Services and
may be referred to as: “Petitioner,” “DFPS,” “CPS,” “Agency,” or “the Department.”
“J.S.B.,” “E.L.B.,” and “D.M.W. aka D.W.,” refers to “the subject children,”
or “the children.”

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