By: Derek Hawkins//March 1, 2016//
WI Court of Appeals – District III
Case Name: M.L.-F. V. Oneida County Department of Social Services
Case No.: 2015AP553; 2015AP554
Officials: Stark, P.J., Hruz and Seidl, JJ.
Focus: Guardianship Rights
M. L.-F. appeals orders dismissing her WIS. STAT. ch. 541 petitions for guardianship of her twin grandsons. The central issue on appeal is whether an order under WIS. STAT. § 48.427 that terminated the children’s parents’ parental rights and ordered guardianship with the State of Wisconsin required dismissal of M. L.-F.’s previously filed, but stayed, ch. 54 guardianship petitions. M. L.-F. argues WIS. STAT. § 48.977(8)(b) expressly allowed her to file the ch. 54 petitions. We agree with M. L.-F.’s interpretation of that statute. Nevertheless, we conclude that, under the specific circumstances of these cases, WIS. STAT. § 48.15 precluded the circuit court from granting M. L.- F.’s ch. 54 petitions. We therefore affirm.
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