Termination of Parental Rights

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WI Court of Appeals – District IV

Case Name: Dane County Department of Human Services v. S.C.

Case No.: 2016AP1787

Officials: Kloppenburg

Focus: Termination of Parental Rights

S.C. seeks reversal of the order terminating her parental rights to her daughter D.C. During the first phase of the circuit court proceedings, S.C. pled no contest to grounds for involuntary termination, which resulted in a finding of parental unfitness. After conducting a dispositional hearing, the court found that termination is in the best interests of the child and terminated S.C.’s parental rights. S.C. argues that the circuit court erroneously exercised its discretion in how it considered certain of the statutory factors, specifically: (1) the likelihood of D.C.’s adoption and of a more stable and permanent family relationship as a result of termination; and (2) the impact of termination on D.C.’s broader relationships with her siblings and S.C. See WIS. STAT. § 48.426(3)(a), (c), and (f). For the reasons set forth below, I reject S.C.’s argument and affirm.

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.