WPC q> `@Oh@>Ǽa^n 햬Wy#qݽꂴn62HMU2BK$%цߛ*%جB;/A9"ZxFTl$lOHhCTiF* ۗ\B)2ZK@hEjBS${%J*WuӧhŽ!IAvX 8>`ri, R>郓 AU vtCmE:Ѯwи%9x}j%(ʹ`hcbc}F `N܄{CtdB趎q”'d4wJSّ{O2YS;d!v&Gz':iԉqm]3LGϲG2qb BĤMdWQ_`O~{tbAvHF* YYe5v8 w[ \UƣbUN\ % 0^ 8wD4H\ zk m 0D    `#&NEb 0 B 0 D3 D- 0K ASR 0k 0D AS(hH  Z6Times New Roman Regular(`$.8dd8    v2+ uV)t)tWpdocs3|x 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.wptU(#$  0    R$      1  <  _ ` WedoubttheTrialCourtsfindingofagroundforterminationinMs.Huffmansalleged substantial  noncompliancebytheRespondent,AngelaHuffman,withthestatementofresponsibilitiesinthePlanofCare.She t testifiedthatduringtheperiodbetweenherconvictionandtherevocationofherprobation,shehadcompleted99percent 8 ofherparentingplan.Sincewefindclearandconvincingevidenceofothergroundsfortermination,ourdoubtwith L respecttoonegroundisnotmaterialtoourjudgmentinthiscase.Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5HP LaserJet 4050 Seri0 - -(|G2$ !.8"dd8         0  < d(|3g$ !.8"dd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3g$ !.8"dd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8"dd8     _  "8lXXdd8  @ ."INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @WW$ATKNOXVILLE#". #Ԉ &   AssignedonBriefsMay25,2001XlX" L  #"XXl#STATEOFTENNESSEE,DEPARTMENTOFCHILDREN'SSERVICESv. ^ ANGELAKNOWLESHUFFMANXlX"  " r @@ AppealfromtheJuvenileCourtforSullivanCounty " r @@No.J22,417JamesH._Beeler_,SpecialJudge  ^ FILEDSEPTEMBER18,_2001_  6  @@*AV) ` dE<` A "  @@TTNo.E200003176COAR3CV   AV) ` dE<` A      AngelaKnowlesHuffmanappealsajudgmentoftheJuvenileCourtforSullivanCountywhich   terminatedherparentalrightsastoherson,L.T.H.andherdaughter,R.E.T.Shecontendsonappeal  thattheevidencesoughttojustifyterminationdoesnotmeettheclearandconvincingtest.We x affirm. d  Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheJuvenileCourtaffirmed; < CauseRemanded  (x   #"Xl#XlX."HoustonM.Goddard,P.J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichHerschelP.Franksand P CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,JJ.,joined. < JonathanM.Holcomb,Rogersville,Tennessee,fortheAppellant,AngelaKnowlesHuffman  PaulG.Summers,AttorneyGeneralandReporter,andElizabethC.Driver,AssistantAttorney  General,Nashville,Tennessee,fortheAppellee,StateofTennessee,DepartmentofChildren's  Services t  & OPINION #"XXlU#XlX" L"! #"XXl #  XlX"  AngelaKnowlesHuffman,aninmateinthePenalSystemofthisState,appealsajudgment $$t# oftheJuvenileCourtforSullivanCounty,enteredonNovember4,2000,whichterminatedher %` $ parentalrightsastoherson,L.T.H.(D.O.B.9/17/96)andherdaughter,R.E.T.(D.O.B.12/8/97). %L!%   Hersingleissueonappealcontendsthattheproofjustifyingterminationdoesnotmeetthe '$#' statutorystandardswhichrequires clearandconvincingevidence. ($(   Innonjurycasesourreviewisdenovoupontherecordoftheproceedingsbelow.That *%* record,however,comestouswiththepresumptionthatthetrialcourtsfindingsoffacts!whichin +&+ thiscase,asalreadynoted,mustbebyclearandconvincingevidence!iscorrect.Tenn.R.App.P. p,', 13(d).Wemusthonorthepresumptionunlesswefindthattheevidencepreponderatesagainstthe \-(- trialcourtsfactualfindingastotheclearandconvincingstandard.TheTrialCourtsconclusion  oflaw,however,arenotaccordedthesamedeference,Campbellv.FloridaSteelCorp.,919S.W.2d  26,35(Tenn.1996).    ByorderenteredonJune10,1998,theJuvenileCourtplacedthecustodyofthetwochildren ` withtheStatebecauseoftheseverephysicalabuseinflicteduponthesonbythedaughtersfather, L  whowasMs.Huffmansliveinboyfriend.ThisoccurredwhenMs.Huffmanwasabsentfromthe 8  residence.However,notwithstandingherabsenceshewassubsequentlyconvictedofpermitting $ t childabuseandgivenapenitentiarysentencefromwhichshesoughtandreceivedprobation.  `   Herparolewaslaterrevokedwhenshefailedadrugscreeningand,asalreadynoted,isnow  8  incarcerated. $    TheTrialCourtfound!andweconcurinhisfinding!anumberofstatutorygroundsfor   termination!oneofwhichweconcedemaybequestionable   #  1      !which,beyondperadventure,meetthe   clearandconvincingtest.Theyare:    ThatthepetitionfiledbytheStateofTennessee,DepartmentofChildrens \ Services,iswelltakenandshouldbesustainedandreliefgrantedthereunderfor H thecausesasstatedthereininthatundertheprovisionsofT.C.A.361113 4 (g)(3)(A),thatonthebasisofclearandconvincingevidencethatterminationisin  p thechildrensbestinterestinthatthechildrenhavebeenremovedfromthehome  \ oftheparentorguardianbyorderofaCourtforaperiodofsix(6)monthsand: H (i)Theconditionswhichledtothechildrensremovalorotherconditionswhich 4 inallreasonableprobabilitywouldcausethechildrentobesubjectedtofurther   abuseorneglectandwhich,therefore,preventthechildrenssafereturntothecare   oftheparent(s)orguardian(s)stillpersist;(ii)Thereislittlelikelihoodthatthese  conditionswillberemediedatanearlydatesothatthechildrencanbesafely  returnedtotheparentorguardianinthenearfuture;and(iii)Thecontinuationof  theparentorguardianandchildrelationshipgreatlydiminishesthechildrens l chancesofearlyintegrationintoasafe,stableandpermanenthome.That X  pursuanttoT.C.A.361113(g)(2),therehasbeensubstantialnoncomplianceby D! theRespondent,AngelaHuffman,withthestatementofresponsibilitiesinthe 0"  PlanofCarepursuanttoT.C.A.372403.ThatpursuanttoT.C.A.361 #l! 113(g)(4),theparentorguardianhasbeenfoundtohavecommittedseverechild $X" abuseasdefinedinT.C.A.371102,underanypriororderofacourtorisfound $D # bythecourthearingthepetitiontoterminateparentalrightsorthepetitionfor %0!$ adoption,tohavecommittedseverechildabuseagainstthechildwhoisthe &"% subjectofthepetitionoragainstanysiblingorhalfsiblingofsuchchild,orany  otherchildresidingtemporarilyorpermanentlyinthehomeofsuchparentor  guardian.ThatpursuanttoT.C.A.361113(g)(5),theparentorguardianhas  beensentencedtomorethantwo(2)yearsimprisonmentforconductagainstthe t childwhoisthesubjectofthepetitionorforconductagainstanysiblingorhalf ` siblingofthechildoranyotherchildresidingtemporarilyorpermanentlyinthe L  homeofsuchparentorguardian,whichhasbeenfoundunderanypriororderof 8  acourtorwhichisfoundbythecourthearingthepetitiontobeseverechildabuse, $ t asdefinedinT.C.A.371102(b)(19).  `   Ms.Huffmanargues,however,thatevenifthegroundsforterminationexists,theproofdoes  8  notshowbyclearandconvincingevidencethatitisinthebestinterestofthechildrenthather $  parentalrightsbeterminated.Wedisagree.     ThechildrenwereremovedfromthehomeonFebruary12,1998,andtheirtemporary   custodyplacedwiththeDepartmentofChildrensServices.Atthattimethesonwas17monthsold   andthedaughtertwomonthsold.Theywereplacedinafosterhomeandhavebeenwiththesame p fosterparents!whohaveexpressedadesiretoadoptthem!sincetheremoval.Giventhefactthatit \ ishighlyunlikelyeitherchildremembersthemother(almostcertainlynotthedaughter),Ms. H Huffmanhasconcededthatthechildrenhavebondedwiththeirfosterparents,andMs.Huffmans 4 historyofnotprotectingtheson,wefindthattheproofisclearandconvincingthatterminationof  p theMothersparentalrightsisinthechildrensbestinterest.  \   FortheforegoingreasonsthejudgmentoftheTrialCourtisaffirmedandthecauseremanded 4 forsuchfurtherproceedings,ifany,asmaybenecessary.Costsofappealareadjudgedagainst   AngelaKnowlesHuffman.      `     h   _________________________________________ l    `     h   HOUSTONM.GODDARD,PRESIDINGJUDGE X