WPC@ G`N,s2&i qy!+lBnyKo2$7<1Ib1w*SΓ`ty;z:Pw{$$q+tK'\(F5b9 g06 % ɿRdu8Hf(AGa:@On{~aMCm~, oPQ~BlcItO؆ZAF|Jg:ғr@)a\q7򻸢ӔU7'°|e qQ2`UyzqkuF, ?eby{@6.{ȳCRXtHS /41>RꯢJyX&Lq;ζכ#jzYõ%C[ O>!iՈq5{Ua\.? X=4}%ץwZǀR,>M=6*b#\ %% ^ + 07 UN w 4 z%  q  m UN   s9NE 0D^^^^^^^^^^^^^^b555555555555555555555555555555555555 0==== B(( 0E D3 D- 0KII AS 0 0DQ A\\IB01S01\CLERK1NAS,,,,0Jt11 (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman RegularEb0:i+00 C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt 3|xU(9 Z6Times New Roman RegularLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5  Rhf$      3    _Thechildhadlivedwithhermotheruntilshewaseightmonthsoldatwhichtimethechildwasfoundinthe  companyofasuspectedprostituteandheremployeratahotel.Thesuspectedprostitutewas"caring"forthechildwhile t themotherwasincustody,havingbeenarrestedforprostitution.   Rhf$      5    _Fatherhasanextensiverecordofdrugoffensesincludingconvictionsfordrugpossession,drugsaleand  deliveryandpossessionofillegalweapons.Heiscurrentlyservingasentenceof170monthsforconspiracytodistribute t inexcessof50gramsofcocainebaseforwhichhewillnotbeeligibleforparolconsiderationuntilthechildistwelve.  Rhf$      2    _Fatherstipulatedthatheisincarceratedservingasentenceofmorethantenyearsandthathischildisunder  theageofeight.Fatherdidnotstipulatethesecondground;yet,hedoesnotappealthatfinding.Fatheronlyappealsthe t bestinterestfinding. Rhf$      4    _Themothersrightswerepreviouslyterminated.(#$  0    Rhf$      1    _Tenn.Ct.App.R.10states:    ThisCourt,withtheconcurrenceofalljudgesparticipatinginthecase,mayaffirm,reverseormodifythe 8 actionsofthetrialcourtbymemorandumopinionwhenaformalopinionwouldhavenoprecedentialvalue.Whenacase L isdecidedbymemorandumopinionitshallbedesignated"MEMORANDUMOPINION,"shallnotbepublished,and  shallnotbecitedorreliedonforanyreasoninanyunrelatedcase.- -(|G2hf$ !.8KdXXd8         0   d(|3Ic$ !.8KdXXd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3Ic$ !.8KdXXd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8Kdd8     _  K8uXXdd8  @ T@KINTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @kk$ATNASHVILLE#KT@ #Ԉ &   September8,2004Session L XuXK #KXXu#ԀINRE:P.M.XuXK  J @@ AppealfromtheJuvenileCourtforWilliamsonCounty  J @@No.37304  6 @@*AV) ` dE< ` A    @@TTNo.M200400845_COA_ԄR3PTFiledSeptember17,_2004_   AV) ` dE<` A      Fatherappealsterminationofhisparentalrights.Fatherconcededandthejuvenilecourtfoundthat   groundsexistforterminationofFather'sparentalrights.Thejuvenilecourtalsofoundthat x  terminationofFathersparentalrightswasinthechildsbestinterest.Fatherappealsthefindingthat d terminationwasinthechild'sbestinterest.Weaffirm.#KXXuV#XuXK P } Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheJuvenileCourt (x AffirmedandRemanded  d   #KXuV#XuX.KFrankG.Clement,Jr.,J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichWilliamB.Cain,and < PatriciaJ.Cottrell,JJ.,joined. ( DanaMichelle_Ausbrooks_,Franklin,Tennessee,fortheappellant,_J.M._,thefather.  PaulG.Summers,AttorneyGeneralandReporter;andBrentM.HayesandRichardM._Murrell_,  AssistantAttorneyGenerals,fortheappellee,StateofTennessee. t ) #KXXuX#  XuXK RobertH.Plummer,Jr.,Franklin,Tennessee,GuardianAdLitem . L  @*   MEMORANDUMOPINION ) #  1       ("x!    Fatherofathreeyearoldchildappealsterminationofhisparentalrightsarguingthatthe $P#  XuXXXuDepartmentofChildrensServices#XuXX Xu #Ԁfailedtoprovethatterminationwasinthebestinterestofthe $< $ child.Fatherconcededthatgroundsexistedtoterminatehisparentalrights;however,hecontested %(!% terminationofhisrightsarguingthatterminationwasnotinthechild'sbestinterest. &"&  '#' _  Fatherstipulatedthatonegroundexistedandthejuvenilecourtfoundthattwogrounds  existedfortheterminationofFathersparentalrights. #  2      ׀One,thatthechildwasundertheageofeight  yearsandFatherwasconfinedinacorrectionalfacilityservingasentenceinexcessoftenyears.  Tenn.CodeAnn.361113(g)(6).Two,thattheconditionswhichledtotheremovaloftheminor t childstillpersistandthatthereislittlelikelihoodthattheseconditionswillberemediedinthenear ` future.Tenn.CodeAnn.361113(g)(3)(A).Thejuvenilecourtalsofoundthatterminationof L  Father'sparentalrightswasinthechild'sbestinterest.Tenn.CodeAnn.361113(i).Thejuvenile 8  courtsbestinterestdecisionwasbasedonthefindingsthatFatherwasincarceratedwhenthechild $ t wasonemonthold,thathehadnotfosteredameaningfulrelationshipwiththechildpriortobeing  ` incarcerated,thathewouldremainincarcerateduntilatleast2013(untilthechildwouldbe12years  L  old),thatFatherdoesnothaveahome,cannotprovideforthechildandwillnotbeabletomakethe  8  necessaryadjustmentinhiscircumstancesuntilthechildis12yearsold,ifthen. $    TerminationproceedingsinTennesseearegovernedbystatute.Partiesseekingtoterminate   parentalrightsmustprovetwothings.First,theymustprovetheexistenceofatleastoneofthe   statutorygroundsfortermination.Tenn.CodeAnn.36-1-113(c)(1);InreD.L.B.,118S.W.3d   360,367(Tenn.2003);Jonesv.Garrett,92S.W.3d835,838(Tenn.2002).Second,theymustprove p thatterminatingtheparent'sparentalrightsisinthechild'sbestinterests.Tenn.CodeAnn. \ 36-1-113(c)(2);InreA.W.,114S.W.3d541,544(Tenn.Ct.App.2003);InreC.W.W.,37S.W.3d H 467,475-76(Tenn.Ct.App.2000). 4   Toterminateaparent'sparentalrightsTenn.CodeAnn.36-1-113(c)requiresprovingall  \ theelementsbyclearandconvincingevidence.Thisheightenedburdenofproofminimizestherisk H oferroneousdecisions.InreC.W.W.,37S.W.3dat474;InreM.W.A.,Jr.,980S.W.2d620,622 4 (Tenn.Ct.App.1998).Evidencesatisfyingthisstandardeliminatesseriousorsubstantialdoubt   aboutthecorrectnessoftheconclusionsdrawnfromtheevidence.InreValentine,79S.W.3d539,   546(Tenn.2002);InreC.D.B.,37S.W.3d925,927(Tenn.Ct.App.2000).Itproducesafirmbelief  orconvictionregardingthetruthofthefactssoughttobeestablished.InreA.D.A.,84S.W.3d592,  596(Tenn.Ct.App.2002);Rayv.Ray,83S.W.3dat733;InreC.W.W.,37S.W.3dat474.    Thedecisiontoterminateparentalrightsmayrestonanyofthegroundsallegedinthe X  petition.Itisunnecessarytoproveallofthegroundsalleged.Inre:C.W.W.,37S.W.3dat473474. D! Thiscourtmayaffirmthetrialcourtsjudgmentiftherecordcontainsclearandconvincingevidence 0"  tosupportanyoneofthegrounds.Id.at473474. #l!   TheonlycontactFatherhashadwiththechildsincethechildwasonemontholdisthechild $D # hasvisitedhiminjailandprisonapproximatelyfivetimes,theyhavespokenbyphone %0!$  approximately60timesandFatherhaswritten20to30lettersandcards.BecauseofFathers &"% lengthyprisonsentence,thetwowillnotbeabletofosterarelationshipandFatherwillnotbeable  toprovideforthechilduntilthechildis12yearsofageattheearliest.     Thechildhasbeeninwhatappearstobeagoodfamilysettingwithfosterparentssinceshe t waselevenmonthsold. #  3      ׀ThefosterparentsintendtoadoptthechildifandwhenFathersparental ` rightsareterminated. #  4      ׀ L   XuXXXu  #XuXX Xue #Theonlyissueiswhethertherecordsupportsthejuvenilecourt'sfindingthatitisinthebest $ t interestofthechildtoterminateFather'sparentalrights.Therecordclearlyandconvincingly  ` establishesthatFatherneverhadarelationshipwiththechildpriortohisincarcerationandthat  L  Fatherisunable,duetohisincarceration,todeveloparelationship,toprovideforthechildandto  8  changethecircumstancesthathavepersistedsinceremoval.Moreover,thereisnoassurancethat $  hewillbeableorwillingtodosouponhisreleaseconsideringhissignificantcriminalrecord.h #  5      ׀   Further,therecordclearlyandconvincinglyestablishesthatitisnotinthechild'sbestinteresttohold   herfutureinabeyanceawaitingtheuncertainreleaseofFatherfromprisonintenortwelveyears   whenthechildwillbe12or14yearsoldandtoawaittheuncertaintyofwhetherFatherwillbe   willingorabletoprovideforthechildatthattime.Tothecontrary,therecordcontainsclearand p convincingevidencethatitisinthechild'sbestinteresttoterminateFather'sparentalrightssothat \ thechildmaybeadoptedbytwolovingandcaringfosterparents.Wefurtherfindtheevidenceso H compellingthataMemorandumOpinionpursuanttoTenn.R.App.P.10issufficientforthiscourt 4 toaffirmtheterminationofFather'sparentalrights.  p   Wethereforeaffirm. H   ThismatterisremandedtothejuvenilecourtandcostsareassessedagainstFather.      `     h     ___________________________________ l    `     h     FRANKG.CLEMENT,JR.,JUDGE X