WPC\ MH(D-o1.=Z< +R;h8^:SgE8aZ%J2 F6Y7"P!$OhR 6bN}1)ѦWR$:*݀T`wzJNYD{ NMo….iZA7~m cҏz6T{`J2eam_lQy92chy)siR{[ԍb#\ % ^ # 0/ U2N w 4 z  i x mz 1    j 0D0Ntv 0c~E 1U1Njj 1u 72-__________________bQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ 0YYYY BDD 0a D3 D-8 0Kee AS 0 0Dm AHP LaserJet 4050 Series PCL 5e,,,,05uS) (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman RegularsM):i+00 C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt3|xU(5hCEKQW]cioAutoList11.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(#$  0   (;3$2#  0  .3  0  (EhCEKQW]cioAutoList21.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular3#37=CIQYag1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)i)  R4$      1  X!X  _SeverechildabuseintheStatuteisdefinedas:  0  X!XXX!(A)Theknowingexposureofachildtoortheknowingfailuretoprotectachildfromabuse  orneglectthatislikelytocausegreatbodilyharmordeathandtheknowinguseofforceon t achildthatislikelytocausegreatbodilyharmordeath;`(#(# 8  (B)Specificbrutality,abuseorneglecttowardsachildwhichintheopinion0@  of L  qualifiedexpertshascausedorwillreasonablybeexpectedtoproducesevere 8  psychosis,severeneuroticdisorder,severedepression,severedevelopmentaldelay $ t orretardation,orsevereimpairmentofthechild'sabilitytofunctionadequatelyinthe  ` child'senvironment,andtheknowingfailuretoprotectachildfromsuchconduct;  L  or 8    8  (C)Thecommissionofanyacttowardsthechildprohibitedby $  39-13-502--39-13-504,39-13-510,39-13-522,39-15-302,and39-17-1005orthe   knowingfailuretoprotectthechildfromthecommissionofanysuchacttowardsthe   child.#X!XXX!#    - -(|G24$ !.8Cdd8         0  XQX d(|3$ !.8Cdd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3$ !.8Cdd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8Y-dd8     _Y-8!XXdd8@ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @$ATNASHVILLE  @  !August2000Session $ X!XY- #Y-XX!#  STATEOFTENNESSEE,DEPT.OFCHILDRENSSERVICESv.LS,IN " THEMATTEROFDSX!XY-   6 @{ {  DirectAppealfromtheCircuitCourtfor_Pickett_ԀCounty  6 @ No.NJ913Hon.John_Maddux_,CircuitJudge  " @*AV) ` dE<` A߈   @. . No.M199900847_COA_ԄR3CVFiledSeptember28,_2000_Ԉ   AV) ` dE<h` A i   TheTrialCourtremovedminorchildfromtheparentalhomeongroundschildwasdependentand P neglected.Weaffirm. < #Y-XX!W#X!XY- Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuitCourtAffirmed.  d HerschelPickensFranks#Y-X!#X!X.Y-,J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhich#Y-X!#X!X.Y-WilliamB.Cain,J., < andPatriciaJ.Cottrell,#Y-X!#X!X.Y-ԀJ.,joined. ( DarylA._Colson_,_Livingston_,Tennessee,forappellant,LS.  PaulG.Summers,AttorneyGeneralandReporter,andElizabethC.Driver,AssistantAttorney  GeneralandReporter,Nashville,Tennessee,forAppellee,StateofTennessee,Departmentof t ChildrensServices. ` @66' OPINION #Y-XX!#X!XY-Ԉ $"t! #Y-XX! #X!XY-X!XXX!      ` Inthisaction,theTrialJudgeaffirmedtheJuvenileCourtsdecisiontoremove#X!XXX!# #X!XXX!#Y-XX! #X!XY-DS#Y-XX!& #X!XY-#X!XXX! #X!XXX! $8 $ #X!XXX! ##Y-XX!j #Y-Y-X!XY-fromtheparentalhomebecauseshewasdependentandneglected.Themotherhasappealed. %$!%    ` TheDepartmentofChildrensServices,(DCS)becameinvolvedinthiscaseinthe '"' early1990's.#X!XXX!& #X!XXX!#Y-XX!E #X!XY-DS#Y-XX! ##Y-Y- #X!XY-X!XXX!Ԁ#X!XXX!L##Y-XX!-#Y-Y-X!XY-wasbornonSeptember26,1987,andthemothersubsequentlymarriedCS,who (#( isnotDS#Y-XX!#X!XY-#X!XXX!#X!XXX!sbiologicalfather,butwasnamedonthebirthcertificate. )$)    ` DS#X!XXX!#X!XXX!#Y-XX!}#X!XY-smaternalgrandmotherbroughttheallegationsofsexualabuseinthehometo \+&+ theDepartmentsattention,andtheDepartmentfiledapetitionfortemporarycustodyin1996, H,', allegingthatthemotherhadfailedtoprotectthechildfromabuse,andthatthemotherhadalcohol 4-(- _problems.TheJuvenileCourttemporarilyremovedDS#Y-XX!#X!XY-#X!XXX!s#X!XXX!Ԁfromthehome,andorderedanindependent  evaluation.Atasubsequenthearing,theJuvenileCourtorderedtheremovalofDS#X!XXX!#X!XXX!#Y-XX!#X!XY-Ԁfromthehome.     ` OnappealtotheCircuitCourt,aGuardianAdLitemwasappointed,andatrialwas t conductedbeforetheCircuitJudgeonAugust13,1998.TheTrialJudgefoundthewitnessesfrom ` theDHStobeverycredible,andheldthatthestepfatherhadsexuallyandphysicallyabusedthe L  child,themotherhadproblemswithalcoholandhadendangeredthechildwhenundertheinfluence, 8  andhadalsofailedtoprotecther.TheCourtconcludedtherewasclearandconvincingevidencethat $ t #X!XXX!#X!XXX!#Y-XX!#X!XY-DS#Y-XX!##Y-Y-#X!XY-X!XXX!Ԁwasdependentandneglected,theparentshadfailedtoprotecther,andconsequentlythatDS#X!XXX!u#X!XXX!#Y-XX!V#X!XY-  ` shouldremaininfostercare,buthavesupervisedvisitationwiththeparents.  L  Ѐ0  0` (#(# 8 ` (#` (#    ` Inordertomakeafindingthatachildisdependentandneglected,thecourtmusthave $  clearandconvincingevidenceofsuchcircumstances.Tenn.CodeAnn.371129(c).Itmustbe   demonstratedthatthechildhasbeenunderunlawfulorimpropercare,orthatthechildhassuffered   fromabuseorneglect. Tenn.CodeAnn.371102(b)(12).Ourreviewofthetrialcourtsdecisions   onthesetypesoffactquestionsisdenovowithapresumptionofcorrectness,unlesstheevidence   preponderatesotherwise.Tenn.R.App.P.13(d).    p       ` TheDepartmentpresentedevidencethatthestepfatherhadsexuallyabusedthechild, H andthathehadphysicallyabusedthemotherandthechild.Therewasevidencethatthemotherhad 4 abusedalcoholtotheextentthatshesometimesblackedout,andthatthemotherhadonoccasion  p smotheredthechildwithapillow.Theparentstestimonyessentiallydeniedthatthechildhadbeen  \ abused,buttheTrialCourtfoundthattheSmithsandtheirwitnessestestimonywerenotcredible. H    ` Inourreviewwegiveconsiderabledeferencetothetrialjudgewhereissuesofthe   credibilityofwitnessesareconcerned.Adelspergerv.Adelsperger,970S.W.2d482(Tenn.Ct.App.   1997);TennesseeValleyKaolinCorp.v.Perry,526S.W.2d488(Tenn.Ct.App.1974).Asthe  SupremeCourthasrecentlyexplained:  8      0  0` (#(#Unlikeappellatecourts,trialcourtsareabletoobservewitnessesastheytestifyand l toassesstheirdemeanor,whichbestsituatestrialjudgestoevaluatewitness X  credibility.Thus,trialcourtsareinthemostfavorablepositiontoresolvefactual D! disputeshingingoncredibilitydeterminations.Accordingly,appellatecourtswillnot 0"  re-evaluateatrialjudge'sassessmentofwitnesscredibilityabsentclearand #l! convincingevidencetothecontrary.$X"` (#` (# Wellsv.TennesseeBd.ofRegents,9S.W.3d779,783(Tenn.1999).DeferringtotheTrialJudge %0!$ ontheissueofcredibility,wefindtherewasampleevidence,morethanenoughtomeettheclearand &"% convincingstandard,thatDS#Y-XX!V#X!XY-#X!XXX!#X!XXX!Ԁwasadependentandneglectedchild.TheTrialJudgenotonlyfound '#& thatDS#X!XXX!&$#X!XXX!#Y-XX!##X!XY-Ԁwasavictimofabuse,butwentfurtheranddeterminedthatDS#Y-XX! %#X!XY-#X!XXX!$#X!XXX!Ԁwasavictimofseverechild (#' abuse,asdefinedinTenn.CodeAnn.37-1-102(b)(21)#X!XXX!%#X!XXX!#Y-XX!%#X!XY-,(whichisnotrequiredtofindachildtobe )$( dependentandneglected). |*%)  h+&*    ` Themotherarguesthattheevidenceisnotstrongenoughtosupportafindingof  severechildabuse. #  1      ׀  8         ` TheSupremeCourtrecentlyheldthatwhereamotherallowsherchildtobeabused t bythefatherandfailstoprotectthechild,suchinactionisabasistoestablishseverechildabuse. ` Nash-Putnamv.McCloud,921S.W.2d170(Tenn.1996).Thestatuteisexplicitthataparentwho L  actuallysubjectsachildtoabuse,eitherofaphysicallyorpsychologicallydamagingnature,isguilty 8  ofseverechildabuse.Theknowingfailuretoprotectachildfromsuchabuse,alsoconstitutessevere $ t childabuse.Further,theactofsexualbatterycommitteduponachildlessthan13,asinthiscase,  ` isencompassedbyTenn.CodeAnn.3913504,whichissetforthinTenn.CodeAnn.375  L  102(b)(21),subsection(C)asalsoconstitutingseverechildabuse,asisthefailuretoprotectachild  8  fromit. $     `    ` Generally,achildmayberemovedfromtheparentscustodyupontheshowingof   athreatofsubstantialharm.InreAskew,993S.W.2d1(Tenn.1999).Theevidenceestablishesthat   thetemporaryandongoingremovalofthechildfromthehomearewarrantedinthiscase.TheTrial   CourtalsofoundthattheDCShadmadereasonableeffortstopreventtheremovalbyworkingwith p thefamilyforseveralyears,pursuanttoTenn.CodeAnn.371166,butheconcludedthatthere \ wasnolessdrasticalternativetoremoval,andthatallowingDStoremaininthehomewouldnot H beinherbestinterests.Accordingly,weaffirmtheTrialCourtsjudgment.Thecostoftheappeal 4 isassessedtotheappellant,LS.  p #X!XXX!{&##Y-XX!&#X!XY-   `     h     _________________________      `     h     HerschelPickensFranks,J.