IN RE LYNELL S. - Articles

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IN RE LYNELL S.

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Aug 15, 2024

Court: TN Court of Appeals

Attorneys 1: Ben H. Houston II, Knoxville, Tennessee, for the appellant, Charles S.

Attorneys 2: Jonathan Skrmetti, Attorney General and Reporter, and Jason R. Trautwein, Assistant Attorney General, for the appellee, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.

Judge(s): SWINEY

This appeal concerns the termination of a father’s parental rights. The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (“DCS”) filed a petition in the Juvenile Court for Knox County (“the Juvenile Court”) seeking to terminate the parental rights of Charles S. (“Father”) to his minor son, Lynell S. (“the Child”). Father pled guilty to aggravated assault on the Child’s mother. After a hearing, the Juvenile Court entered an order terminating Father’s parental rights to the Child on grounds of abandonment by wanton disregard, substantial noncompliance with the permanency plans, and failure to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody. Father appeals, arguing among other things that he addressed his domestic violence issues by taking certain classes, even though he assaulted Mother after having taken these classes. We find that all three grounds found for termination were proven by clear and convincing evidence. We find further by clear and convincing evidence, as did the Juvenile Court, that termination of Father’s parental rights is in the Child’s best interest. We affirm.

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