Interest of H.J.J.N. , 2024 ND 132 ( 2024 )

IN THE SUPREME COURT
STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA
2024 ND 132In the Interest of H.J.J.N., a Child
Grand Forks County Human Service Zone, Petitioner and Appellee
v.
H.J.J.N., child; and
J.N., father; Respondents
and
S.R., mother, Respondent and Appellant
No. 20240060
Appeal from the Juvenile Court of Grand Forks County, Northeast Central Judicial District,
the Honorable M. Jason McCarthy, Judge.
AFFIRMED.
Per Curiam.
Victoria J.M. Christian, under the Rule on Limited Practice of Law by Law Students, and
Haley L. Wamstad, State’s Attorney, Grand Forks, ND, for petitioner and appellee;
submitted on brief.
Samuel A. Gereszek, Grand Forks, ND, for respondent and appellant; submitted on brief.
Interest of H.J.J.N.
No. 20240060
Per Curiam.
[¶1] S.R. appealed from a judgment terminating her parental rights to H.J.J.N., arguing
the juvenile court erred by failing to consider her timely filed closing brief and granting
the petition to terminate her parental rights. We retained jurisdiction under N.D.R.App.P.
35(a)(3)(B) and remanded with instructions for the court to consider S.R.’s closing brief.
Int. of H.J.J.N., 2024 ND 70, ¶ 8, 5 N.W.3d 775. On remand, the court entered an amended
judgment terminating S.R.’s parental rights to H.J.J.N. The parties did not request
additional briefing or oral argument before this Court under N.D.R.App.P. 35(a)(3)(B)(ii).
[¶2] The juvenile court found H.J.J.N. to be a child in need of protection and had been
in the care, custody, and control of the Human Service Zone for at least 450 out of the
previous 660 nights under N.D.C.C. § 27-20.3-20(1)(c)(2). After reviewing the record, we
conclude the court’s findings are supported by clear and convincing evidence and are not
clearly erroneous, and the court did not abuse its discretion by terminating S.R.’s parental
rights. We summarily affirm the amended judgment under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(2) and
(4).
[¶3] Jon J. Jensen, C.J.
Daniel J. Crothers
Lisa Fair McEvers
Jerod E. Tufte
Douglas A. Bahr
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