Termination of Parental Rights

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WI Court of Appeals – District II

Case Name: Kenosha County Department of Human Services v. C.D.K.

Case No.: 2015AP2179

Officials: Blanchard, J.

Focus: Termination of Parental Rights

C.D.K. appeals a circuit court order terminating her parental rights and an order denying post-disposition relief. Asserting that she was not advised of, and did not understand, her right to require Kenosha County to prove the allegations in the TPR petition by clear and convincing evidence and that 10 of 12 jurors would have to agree in order for a verdict to be accepted by the court, C.D.K. argues that the circuit court erred in concluding that her admission to grounds for the TPR was entered, to use her phrase, “intelligently and understandingly.” C.D.K. also argues that the circuit court erred in concluding that she received effective assistance of counsel when her counsel encouraged her to admit grounds and to focus on the disposition phase instead of contesting the grounds. For reasons set forth below, I reject both arguments and affirm.

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