By: Derek Hawkins//April 19, 2017//
WI Court of Appeals – District III
Case Name: Barron County Department of Health and Human Services v. C.K. and M.B-T.
Case No.: 2016AP1378; 2016AP1379; 2016AP1380
Officials: Seidl, J.
Focus: Termination of Parental Rights
C.K. appeals termination of parental rights (TPR) orders to her children, C.R.K., E.K., and K.K. She raises several arguments involving the grounds phase of the proceedings: (1) she was denied her right to a jury trial when the circuit court answered an element of WIS. STAT. § 48.415(2) without performing a colloquy; (2) her trial counsel was ineffective for failing to argue WIS. STAT. § 48.415(6) is unconstitutional as applied to her; and (3) the court erred in admitting certain testimony at trial. She also requests a new trial in the interests of justice. We reject these arguments and affirm.