Termination of Parental Rights

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WI Court of Appeals – District II

Case Name: Sheboygan County Department of Health & Human Services v. S.K.,

Case No.: 2021AP158

Officials: REILLY, P.J.

Focus: Termination of Parental Rights

S.K. appeals from the circuit court’s order involuntarily terminating his parental rights (TPR) to K.S-S. The circuit court granted partial summary judgment at the grounds phase based on abandonment, pursuant to WIS. STAT. § 48.415(1)(a)2. S.K. argues that the circuit court failed to explicitly state that it was finding him unfit, and, therefore, the court failed to comply with the statutory scheme and the order terminating his parental rights should be vacated. He also argues that the court failed to consider the court report at the dispositional phase and that the Sheboygan County Department of Health & Human Services (the Department) failed to comply with WIS. STAT. § 48.834, as it failed to contact any relatives of S.K. regarding placement and adoption of K.S-S. We reject S.K.’s arguments and affirm.

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Derek A Hawkins is Associate Corporate Counsel, IP at Amazon.