In re K.B. , 2014 Ohio 3490 ( 2014 )


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  • [Cite as In re K.B., 
    2014-Ohio-3490
    .]
    COURT OF APPEALS
    FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO
    FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
    IN RE: K.B.                                  :       JUDGES:
    :
    :       Hon. William B. Hoffman, P.J.
    :       Hon. Patricia A. Delaney, J.
    :       Hon. Craig R. Baldwin, J.
    :
    :
    :       Case No. 14-CA-29
    :
    :       OPINION
    CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING:                             Appeal from the Fairfield County
    Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile
    Division, Case No. AB-2013-51
    JUDGMENT:                                            Affirmed
    DATE OF JUDGMENT:                                    August 12, 2014
    APPEARANCES:
    For Plaintiff-Appellee                               For Defendant-Appellant-D.C.
    BRITTANY J. KAROCKI                                  JESSICA L. MONGOLD
    Assistant Prosecuting Attorney                       123 S. Broad Street, Ste. 206
    239 W. Main Street, Ste. 101                         Lancaster, OH 43130
    Lancaster, OH 43130
    Guardian Ad Litem
    Jacob P. Ort
    13297 Rustic Drive NW
    Pickerington, OH 43147
    Fairfield County, Case No.14-CA-29                                                    2
    Baldwin, J.
    {¶1}    Appellant D.C. appeals a judgment of the Fairfield County Common Pleas
    Court, Juvenile Division, awarding permanent custody of her daughter K.B. to appellee
    Fairfield County Child Protective Services.
    STATEMENT OF FACTS AND CASE
    {¶2}    K.B. was born on February 14, 2013. She was found to be dependent and
    placed in the temporary custody of appellee on May 30, 2013. Appellant did not comply
    with her case plan, which addressed concerns with substance abuse, parenting skills,
    stable employment, and stable housing. Appellant only visited K.B. once during the
    pendency of the case.
    {¶3}    Appellee filed a motion for permanent custody on October 1, 2013. The
    permanent custody hearing was originally scheduled for November 13, 2013, and
    continued to February 6, 2014 because service was not effectuated upon appellant. On
    February 4, 2014, appellant filed a motion to continue, stating that a family member had
    stepped forward seeking placement but appellee had refused to investigate the family
    member because she stepped forward too late.        Appellant argued that the hearing
    should be continued to allow for consideration of a less restrictive placement option.
    The court overruled the motion.
    {¶4}    The case proceeded to a permanent custody hearing on February 6,
    2014. Appellant did not appear at the hearing. Counsel for appellant renewed the
    motion to continue, arguing that the maternal grandmother sought placement of the
    child and appellee had not investigated this placement. The maternal grandmother did
    Fairfield County, Case No.14-CA-29                                                     3
    not appear at the hearing. The court again overruled the motion to continue, finding that
    the maternal grandmother was given the option to be a possible placement for K.B.
    when the case began, but she chose not to be considered. The court further noted that
    neither appellant nor the maternal grandmother were present for trial. The court found
    that the need for permanency for K.B. was the priority of the court, and overruled the
    motion to continue. Following the hearing at which neither parent appeared, the court
    granted the motion for permanent custody.
    {¶5}   Appellant assigns a single error on appeal:
    {¶6}   “THE TRIAL COURT ERRED AND ABUSED ITS DISCRETION BY
    PLACING THE MINOR CHILD IN THE PERMANENT CUSTODY OF FAIRFIELD
    COUNTY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES WITHOUT ALLOWING FOR AN
    INVESTIGATION OF A FAMILY MEMBER WHO MAY HAVE PROVIDED A LESS
    RESTRICTIVE PLACEMENT.”
    {¶7}   Appellant argues that the court erred in overruling her motion to continue
    so that appellee could investigate the maternal grandmother as a potential placement
    for K.B.
    {¶8}   “The grant or denial of a continuance is a matter which is entrusted to the
    broad, sound discretion of the trial judge.” State v. Unger, 
    67 Ohio St.2d 65
    , 67, 
    423 N.E.2d 1078
     (1981). Therefore, an appellate court must not reverse a trial court's
    decision to deny a motion for continuance unless it finds that the trial court abused its
    discretion. 
    Id.
     The term “abuse of discretion” implies that the court's attitude is
    unreasonable, arbitrary or unconscionable. Blakemore v. Blakemore, 
    5 Ohio St.3d 217
    ,
    219, 
    450 N.E.2d 1140
     (1983).
    Fairfield County, Case No.14-CA-29                                                   4
    {¶9}    The agency does not have a statutory duty to investigate a relative for
    placement before seeking permanent custody. In re K.M.D., 4th Dist. Ross App. No.
    11CA3289, 
    2012-Ohio-755
    , ¶1. In the instant case, the agency did contact the maternal
    grandmother at the start of the case, but she was not willing to be considered for
    placement at that time. Appellant filed her motion to continue just two days before the
    permanent custody hearing was scheduled. Further, neither appellant nor her mother
    appeared for the hearing.       Appellee represented to the court that grandmother
    contacted the agency two weeks before the hearing regarding the possibility of
    placement, and appellee informed her that if the motion for permanent custody was
    granted, she could apply for consideration for adoption. The court did not abuse its
    discretion in overruling the motion to continue.
    {¶10}   The assignment of error is overruled.     The judgment of the Fairfield
    County Common Pleas Court is affirmed.             Costs are assessed to appellant.
    By: Baldwin, J.
    Hoffman, P.J. and
    Delaney, J. concur.
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 14-CA-29

Citation Numbers: 2014 Ohio 3490

Judges: Baldwin

Filed Date: 8/12/2014

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 4/17/2021