J. A03041/15
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
IN RE: A.C., A MINOR : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
:
:
APPEAL OF: B.J., MOTHER :
: No. 1110 MDA 2014
Appeal from the Order June 18, 2014
In the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County
Juvenile Division No(s).: DP-406-13
BEFORE: MUNDY, STABILE, and FITZGERALD,* JJ.
MEMORANDUM BY FITZGERALD, J.: FILED MARCH 05, 2015
Appellant, B.J. (“Mother”), appeals from the order entered in the Berks
County Court of Common Pleas directing her to physically produce her minor
daughter, A.C. (“Child”), for a forensic interview at the Children’s Alliance
Center (“CAC”). Mother contends she has a constitutional right to have an
attorney of her choice observe and hear the forensic interview with Child.
We affirm.
The trial court summarized the facts and procedural history of this
case as follows:
On May 22, 2014, Berks County Children and Youth
Services[1] (hereinafter “BCCYS”) filed a Petition to
*
Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court.
1
Under the Child Protective Services Law, BCCYS is the civil agency
responsible for investigating reports of child abuse. Section 6362 provides:
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Compel. In that petition, BCCYS averred that it received a
report that [Child] had been sexually abused by her
stepfather. BCCYS further asserted that a forensic
interview[2] of [Child] was needed but that [Mother’s
Responsibilities of county agency for child protective
services
(a) General rule.─The county agency shall be the sole
civil agency responsible for receiving and investigating all
reports of child abuse made pursuant to this chapter,
specifically including, but not limited to, reports of child
abuse in facilities operated by the department and other
public agencies, for the purpose of providing protective
services to prevent further abuses to children and to
provide or arrange for and monitor the provision of those
services necessary to safeguard and ensure the well-being
and development of the child and to preserve and stabilize
family life wherever appropriate.
23 Pa.C.S. § 6362(a).
2
Section 6365 provides:
(c) Multidisciplinary investigative team.─A
multidisciplinary investigative team shall be used to
coordinate child abuse investigations between county
agencies and law enforcement. The county agency and
the district attorney shall develop a protocol for the
convening of multidisciplinary investigative teams
for any case of child abuse by a perpetrator involving
crimes against children which are set forth in section
6340(a)(9) and (10) (relating to release of information in
confidential reports). The county multidisciplinary
investigative team protocol shall include standards and
procedures to be used in receiving and referring reports
and coordinating investigations of reported cases of child
abuse and a system for sharing the information obtained
as a result of any interview. The protocol shall include any
other standards and procedures to avoid duplication of
fact-finding efforts and interviews to minimize the trauma
to the child. The district attorney shall convene the
multidisciplinary investigative team in accordance with the
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attorney] would not agree to the interview unless it was
observed by him. The Court held a hearing on that
petition on June 18, 2014. At the conclusion thereof, the
Court entered an order directing that Mother cooperate
with BCCYS in the investigation of alleged sexual abuse
and that she physical produce [Child] for a forensic
interview at the [CAC] within thirty (30) days. The Court
further directed that [Child’s] forensic interview be
conducted only in the presence of the multidisciplinary
team. On July 3, 2014, Mother’s attorney filed a Motion
for Supersedeas and a Petition for Appeal. Although
captioned in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania,
Mother’s Petition for Appeal was transferred to the
Superior Court and docketed as a Notice of Appeal from
the Court’s June 18th order. Mother filed her Concise
Statement of Errors Pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a)(2) on
July 17, 2014.
Trial Ct. Op., 7/28/14, at 1 (citations omitted).
On July 28, 2014, upon consideration of Mother’s emergency motion
for a stay pending appeal of the June 18th order, and the answers filed by
the Commonwealth and BCCYS, this Court denied the motion. It is
uncontested that a forensic interview of Child was held without Mother’s
attorney being present.3
Mother raises the following issues for our review:
protocol. The multidisciplinary investigative team shall
consist of those individuals and agencies responsible for
investigating the abuse or for providing services to the
child and shall at a minimum include a health care
provider, county caseworker and law enforcement official.
23 Pa.C.S. § 6365(c) (emphasis added).
3
We note that Mother avers the interview took place on or about July 30,
2014. BCCYS states the interview took place on July 31st.
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A. Does [Mother] have a constitutional right under the
United States Constitution and/or the Pennsylvania
constitution to have an attorney of her choice observe and
hear any interview of [Child]?
B. Does [Mother] have a constitutional right under the
United States Constitution and/or the Pennsylvania
Constitution to have an attorney of her choice observe and
hear any forensic interview conducted at the [CAC] of
[Child]?
C. Do the alleged terms and conditions of the protocol of
the [CAC] control the interview of [Child], as opposed to
the United States Constitution and/or the Pennsylvania
Constitution?
D. Did the lower court err as a matter of law in not
disposing of the “Motion for Supersedeas” before he went
on vacation?
E. Did the lower court err as a matter of law in failing to
grant the “Temporary Stay Order” and/or granting
[Mother’s] “Motion for Supersedeas” in the herein case?
Id. at 4.
As a prefatory matter, we consider whether Mother has waived issues
A, B, and D. We observe that “[A]ppellate briefs and reproduced records
must materially conform to the requirements of the Pennsylvania Rules of
Appellate Procedure. Pa.R.A.P. 2101.” In re Ullman, 995 A.2d 1207, 1211
(Pa. Super. 2010). “The argument shall be divided into as many parts as
there are questions to be argued; and shall have at the head of each part—
in distinctive type or in type distinctively displayed—the particular point
treated therein, followed by such discussion and citation of authorities as are
deemed pertinent.” Pa.R.A.P. 2119(a). “Citations of authorities must set
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forth the principle for which they are cited.” Pa.R.A.P. 2119(b). “If
reference is made to the pleadings, evidence, charge, opinion or order, or
any other matter appearing in the record, the argument must set forth, in
immediate connection therewith, or in a footnote thereto, a reference to the
place in the record where the matter referred to appears[.]” Pa.R.A.P.
2119(c). The “failure to develop an argument with citation to, and analysis
of, relevant authority waives that issue on review.” Harris v. Toys “R” Us-
Penn, Inc., 880 A.2d 1270, 1279 (Pa. Super. 2005) (citations omitted).
Our review of the argument section of Appellant’s brief reveals that
there is no analysis of issues A, B, and D, with citation to pertinent legal
authority. Therefore, these issues are waived. See Pa.R.A.P. 2119(a)-(c);
Harris, 880 A.2d at 1279.
Next, we consider whether issue C is moot. Mother contends the
alleged terms and conditions of the protocol of the CAC should not control
the interview of Child because they conflict with her constitutional right to
have counsel present during the forensic interview.
This Court has stated: “An issue before a court is moot if in ruling
upon the issue the court cannot enter an order that has any legal force or
effect.” In re D.A., 801 A.2d 614, 616 (Pa. Super. 2002) (en banc).4
4
We note there are exceptions to the mootness doctrine.
[T]his Court will decide questions that otherwise have been
rendered moot when one or more of the following
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Instantly, the forensic interview of Child has taken place. Therefore, this
Court cannot enter an order that has any legal force or effect, rendering the
issue moot. See id.
Assuming, arguendo, the issue is not moot, we find no relief is due.
Mother asserts she
is not saying [Child] cannot be interviewed. She is not
asking for the Commonwealth to pay for her attorney who
observes the interview. She will pay for her attorney.
Further, in this case [Mother] initiated the case with
[BCCYS] when she, through her attorney, reported this
matter to them. She is only insisting on her
constitutional right to have an attorney of her choice
observe and hear the interview.
Appellant’s Brief at 12 (emphasis added).
Mother purports to raise an issue involving a constitutional right.
“[A]n issue involving a constitutional right, [ ] is a question of law; thus, our
standard of review is de novo, and our scope of review is plenary.”
Commonwealth v. Adams, 104 A.3d 511, 517 (Pa. 2014) (plurality)
(citation omitted).
exceptions to the mootness doctrine apply: 1) the case
involves a question of great public importance, 2) the
question presented is capable of repetition and apt to
elude appellate review, or 3) a party to the controversy
will suffer some detriment due to the decision of the trial
court.
In re D.A., 801 A.2d at 616. We will address the issue assuming it is not
moot. See infra. Therefore, we need not address the exceptions.
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Mother’s reliance upon Commonwealth v. Roane, 329 A.2d 286 (Pa.
1974), and Commonwealth v. Smith, 372 A.2d 797 (Pa. 1977), are
unavailing.5 In Roane, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found that a
juvenile’s waiver of the right to counsel during interrogation by the police
was not knowing and voluntary. Roane, 329 A.2d at 289. The Court
opined:
Since the record indicates that the Commonwealth first
attempted to exclude appellant’s mother from the
interrogation and then, when she finally gained access,
did not afford her an opportunity to advise her son
privately about his constitutional rights, although she
indicated that she wished him to be afforded the right of
counsel, we hold that the Commonwealth failed to
establish that appellant’s waiver of his rights was a
knowing and intelligent one. Accordingly, his confession
should have been suppressed.
Id. (emphasis added).
In Smith, the Supreme Court opined:
In Roane, we first articulated the concept that an
attempted waiver of the Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights
during custodial interrogation will not be considered as
being effective absent a showing that the minor ‘had
access to the advice of a parent, attorney or other adult
who was primarily interested in his welfare.’ It was never
the intention to exclude the requirement of interest simply
5
We note Mother cites Commonwealth v. Colavita, 993 A.2d 874 (Pa.
2010), wherein the Supreme Court found “[t]he question of whether
substantive due process should embrace the expanded right recognized by
the panel to consult counsel pre-arrest should await a case where such a
claim is properly presented and preserved.” Id. at 894. Mother’s references
to federal court cases were not pertinent to the issue raised on appeal. See
Mother’s Brief at 11-12.
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because the consulting adult was a parent of the minor.
To the contrary, it was assumed that the relationship
would assure the requisite concern for the welfare of the
minor. However, that assumption does not justify the
creation of an irrebuttable presumption of interest by a
parent. Where, as here, the disinterest of the parent is
graphically demonstrated, it is clear that [the father] was
not the interested adult envisioned in the rule. If the adult
is one who is not concerned with the interest of the minor,
the protection sought to be afforded is illusory and the
procedure fails to accomplish its purpose of offsetting the
disadvantage occasioned by the immaturity.
Smith, 372 A.2d at 801 (citation and footnotes omitted and emphasis
added).
Instantly, Child was not subject to custodial interrogation by the
police. See id. Mother cites no pertinent legal authority in support of her
claim to have a constitutional right to have counsel present during the
forensic interview of Child. We find no relief is due.
Lastly, Mother contends the trial court erred in failing to grant a stay
pending appeal. This Court previously addressed this issue in its July 28th
per curiam order denying Mother’s emergency motion for a stay pending
appeal. “[T]he legal significance of per curiam decisions is limited to setting
out the law of the case.” Commonwealth v. Thompson, 985 A.2d 928,
937 (Pa. 2009) (emphasis added). “The law of the case doctrine [sets forth
various rules that] embody the concept that a court involved in the later
phases of a litigated matter should not reopen questions decided by another
judge of that same court or by a higher court in the earlier phases of the
matter.” In re S.J., 99 A.3d 560, 563-64 (Pa. Super. 2014) (citation
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omitted). Thus, the July 28th order is the law of the case and we will not
revisit the issue. See id.
Order affirmed.
Judge Stabile joins the memorandum
Judge Mundy concurs in the result.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 3/5/2015
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