State v. T.H.-M., 2024AP1271-1273, District I, 10/29/24 (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity In another dense and fact-specific opinion, COA holds that the evidence was sufficient to support a finding that the parent was unfit and rejects T.H.-M.’s argument that the circuit court improperly weighed the evidence at disposition. “Tiffany” appeals the verdict after… Read more
G. Disposition, Secs. 48.426-427
Waukesha County Dept. of Health & Human Services v. M.M.M., 2024AP1622, 10/30/24, District II (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity In a straightforward case addressing sufficiency of the evidence, the COA affirmed the circuit court’s order to terminate M.M.M’s (referred to as Mary) parental rights. The Court found that the evidence was sufficient to… Read more
State v. C.M., 2024AP1416-1418, District I, 10/15/24 (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity The parent’s challenge to the court’s discretionary termination decision goes nowhere given the standard of review. “Corinna” alleges that the circuit court erroneously exercised its discretion at the dispositional hearing because its finding regarding the third statutory factor–the existence of a… Read more
A.K.B. v. J.J.G., 2024AP1116, 10/9/24, District II (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity “Jay” appeals from orders terminating his parental rights and denying his postdisposition motion, arguing the circuit court erroneously exercised its discretion when it terminated his parental rights under the voluntary termination statute, Wis. Stat. § 48.41, rather than applying the hearing… Read more
COA: Circuit court exercised discretion at disposition despite not explicitly considering one factor
State v. S.O., 2024AP1350, 10/8/24, District I (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity S.O. (“Sarah”) challenges the order terminating her parental rights to her son, “Daniel,” arguing that the circuit court erroneously exercised its discretion at disposition when it failed to explicitly consider Daniel’s wishes. Daniel was removed from his parents’ care shortly after… Read more
State v. H.C., 2023AP1950, petition for review of an unpublished court of appeals decision granted 9/11/24; case activity (including briefs) In a seemingly inevitable grant given a flood of appeals raising an identical issue, SCOW has accepted review of this unpublished TPR decision, which held–for the first time in Wisconsin law–that the preponderance of the… Read more
E.S. v. K.R.K., 2024AP1174, District II, 8/28/24 (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity In yet another chapter in the ongoing “burden of proof” saga in TPR world, COA swats away K.R.K.’s constitutional challenge while also holding that she is not entitled to a new dispositional hearing at which time an explicit burden of proof… Read more
State v. T.L., 2024AP859-863, 8/1/24, District I (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity In yet another TPR appeal challenging the circuit court’s discretionary termination order, COA affirms given the imposing standard of review. “Taylor” is the mother of five children who were removed from her care following allegations of neglect and abuse. (¶2). Taylor… Read more
