IN RE A.H. ET AL. - Articles

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IN RE A.H. ET AL.

Posted by: Karen Belcher on Jun 30, 2023

Court: TN Court of Appeals

Attorneys 1: Victoria J. Grelle, Livingston, Tennessee, guardian ad litem, for the appellants, A.H. and D.H.

Attorneys 2: Zach Taylor, Hartsville, Tennessee, for the appellee, Acardio H.

Attorneys 3: Lisa C. Cothron, Lafayette, Tennessee, for the appellee, Michelle B.

Attorneys 4: Jonathan Skrmetti, Attorney General and Reporter, Andrée Blumstein, Solicitor General, and Amber L. Baker, Assistant Attorney General, for the appellee, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.

Judge(s): BENNETT

This is a dependency and neglect case predicated on an allegation of severe abuse. The juvenile court adjudicated the children dependent and neglected and found that one of the children had been subject to severe child abuse at the hands of the children’s father. The father appealed to circuit court. After a de novo hearing, the circuit court found the allegations of severe abuse were not substantiated by clear and convincing evidence and declined to find the children dependent and neglected. The Department of Children’s Services, the children’s guardian ad litem, and the children’s mother appeal, arguing that the circuit court erred in concluding that the evidence of severe abuse was not clear and convincing. Based on our review of the entire record, we find there was not clear and convincing evidence to support a finding of severe abuse. Therefore, we affirm the trial court.

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