In re Child of Ronald W.

by
The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the judgment of the district court terminating Father’s parental rights to his child pursuant to Me. Rev. Stat. 4055(1)(A)(1)(a) and (B)(2)(a), (b)(ii), holding that the evidence supported the court’s factual findings and that the court did not exceed its discretion in determining that termination of Father’s parental rights was in the child’s best interest.On appeal, Father argued primarily that the lower court impermissibly relied on his incarceration to find parental unfitness and the child’s need for permanency in determining the child’s best interest. The Supreme Court disagreed, holding that the court’s material findings were supported by competent evidence in the record, that the court did not impermissibly consider Father’s incarceration in reaching its parental unfitness determination, and that the evidence supported the court’s finding of parental unfitness. Further, the court did not abuse its discretion by considering the child’s needs for stability and permanency in finding parental unfitness and in determining that termination of Father’s parental rights was in the child’s best interest. View "In re Child of Ronald W." on Justia Law