No. 13045
IN THE SUPKEME COURT OF THE STATE OF M N A A
OTN
1975
LN THE MATTER OF DOUGLAS FISHER, J O H N
FISHER and IVAN RONQUILLO, Youth i n
Need of Care. D i v i s i o n o f C h i l d
W e l f a r e S e r v i c e s Department o f P u b l i c
W e l f a r e o f Montana,
P e t i t i o n e r and Respondent,
-vs -
GLORIA FISHER,
Respondent and A p p e l l a n t .
Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court o f t h e T h i r t e e n t h J u d i c i a l ,
Honorable R o b e r t Wilson, J u d g e p r e s i d i n g .
Counsel of Record :
For Appellant :
Vernard C. Anderson, Jr. a r g u e d , B i l l i n g s , Montana
F o r Respondent :
Harold Hanser, County A t t o r n e y , B i l l i n g s , Montana
Thomas Mahan a r g u e d , Helena, Montana
Submitted : November 13, 1975
Decided: :EB - 5 19-76
3 :9fb
Filed :
M r . J u s t i c e Wesley C a s t l e s d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion o f t h e Court.
A mother a p p e a l s from a judgment o f t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ,
Yellowstone County, which adjudged h e r t h r e e minor c h i l d r e n t o
be "youth i n need of c a r e " and awarded permanent custody t o t h e
Department of S o c i a l and R e h a b i l i t a t i o n S e r v i c e s .
Appellant i s a 25 y e a r o l d mother of 3 young c h i l d r e n ,
one of whom was born o u t of wedlock. T r a g i c circumstances l e f t
t h e mother d e s t i t u t e and t h e c h i l d r e n f a t h e r l e s s . Because o f
circumstances which do n o t need r e c i t a t i o n , t h e mother has a h i s -
t o r y o f c o n t a c t w i t h t h e w e l f a r e department s i n c e 1969.
The Department o f S o c i a l and R e h a b i l i t a t i o n S e r v i c e s took
temporary custody of t h e c h i l d r e n i n January 1974 and by s t i p u l a -
t i o n r e t u r n e d them t o t h e mother on o r about August 1 6 , 1974,
o n l y t o r e t a k e them on December 31, 1974. A p e t i t i o n f o r permanent
custody was f i l e d on January 20, 1975, and was heard on March 21,
1975, without a j u r y .
These i s s u e s a r e presented f o r review:
1. Whether t h e r e i s a p r i v i l e g e d communication between
a w e l f a r e s o c i a l worker and a mother w i t h whom she i s working, s o
t h a t t h e worker cannot t e s t i f y a g a i n s t t h e mother i n a c h i l d
custody proceeding; and, f u r t h e r , whether anything i n t h e f i l e of
t h e w e l f a r e department can be used a g a i n s t t h e mother i n t h e pro-
ceeding.
2. Whether t k r e was s u f f i c i e n t evidence f o r t h e d i s t r i c t
c o u r t t o remove t h e c h i l d r e n from t h e i r mother under t h e p r o v i s i o n s
of s e c t i o n 10-1301, R.C.M. 1947.
W need n o t r e s o l v e t h e f i r s t i s s u e because o f o u r d e t e r -
e
mination t h a t t h e r e was n o t s u f f i c i e n t c r e d i b l e evidence t o support
t h e f i n d i n g by t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t h a t t h e s e minor c h i l d r e n were
II youth i n need of care".
S e c t i o n 10-1301, R.C.M. 1947, p r o v i d e s :
" ~ e f i n i t i o n s . (1) ' c h i l d ' o r ' ~ o u t h t, f o r purposes
of t h i s a c t , means any person under e i g h t e e n (18)
y e a r s of a g e .
I
"(2) ' ~ b u s e 'or n e g l e c t ' means:
"(a) The commission o r omission of any a c t
o r a c t s which m t e r i a l l y a f f e c t t h e normal p h y s i c a l
a
o r emotional development of a youth, any e x c e s s i v e
physical i n j u r y , sexual a s s a u l t o r f a i l u r e t o t h r i v e ,
t a k i n g i n t o account t h e age and medical h i s t o r y of
t h e youth, s h a l l be presumptive of ' m a t e r i a l a f f e c t '
and n o n a c c i d e n t a l ; o r
II
(b) The commission o r omission of any a c t
o r a c t s by any person i n t h e s t a t u s o f p a r e n t , g u a r d i a n
o r c u s t o d i a n who t h e r e b y and by r e a s o n of p h y s i c a l o r
mental i n c a p a c i t y o r o t h e r c a u s e , r e f u s e s , o r w i t h
s t a t e and p r i v a t e a i d and a s s i s t a n c e i s u n a b l e t o d i s -
c h a r g e t h e d u t i e s and r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s f o r p r o p e r and
n e c e s s a r y s u b s i s t e n c e , e d u c a t i o n , medical o r any o t h e r
c a r e n e c e s s a r y f o r h i s p h y s i c a l , moral and emotional
well-being.
"(3) ' , ~ e p e n d e n tyouth' means a youth who i s
abandoned, dependent upon t h e p u b l i c f o r s u p p o r t , and
who i s d e s t i t u t e o r i s w i t h o u t p a r e n t s o r , g u a r d i a n o r
under t h e c a r e and s u p e r v i s i o n of a s u i t a b l e a d u l t o r
who has no proper guidance t o p r o v i d e f o r h i s n e c e s s a r y
p h y s i c a l , moral and emotional w e l l - b e i n g . A c h i l d may
be c o n s i d e r e d dependent and l e g a l custody t r a n s f e r r e d
t o a l i c e n s e d agency i f t h e p a r e n t o r p a r e n t s v o l u n t a r i l y
r e l i n q u i s h c u s t o d y of s a i d c h i l d .
" ( 4 ) 'youth i n need of c a r e ' means a youth who i s
dependent o r i s s u f f e r i n 6 from abuse o r n e g l e c t w i t h i n
t h e meaning of t h i s a c t .
Appellant submits t h a t she has done n o t h i n g so heinous
a s t o w a r r a n t having h e r c h i l d r e n taken from h e r f o r e v e r . She
a r g u e s s p e c i f i c a l l y t h a t t h e f i n d i n g s of f a c t numbered 9 through
15 by t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t do n o t conform t o t h e evidence. Those
findings s t a t e :
"9. That t h e n a t u r a l mother *
;k + has been unable
:
t o provide f o r h e r c h i l d r e n ' s normal p h y s i c a l , moral
and emotional development; t h a t i t h a s been n e c e s s a r y
t o p l a c e t h e s a i d c h i l d r e n i n t h e custody of t h e Welfare
Department on v a r i o u s d i f f e r e n t o c c a s i o n s due t o t h e
mother's i n a b i l i t y t o c a r e f o r t h e c h i l d r e n .
"10. That on August 1 6 , 1974, t h e above m a t t e r was
continued by t h e Court f o r a p e r i o d of s i x (6) months;
t h a t p h y s i c a l c u s t o d y of t h e s a i d minor c h i l d r e n was
r e t u r n e d t o t h e respondent and c e r t a i n g u i d e l i n e s were
s e t out f o r her t o follow.
"11. That t h e r e s p o n d e n t h a s f a i l e d t o f o l l o w
t h e s e g u i d e l i n e s and h a s f a i l e d t o c o o p e r a t e w i t h
t h e W e l f a r e Department i n c a r i n g f o r h e r c h i l d r e n .
"12. T h a t on November 7 , 1974, and November 27,
1974, t h e r e s p o n d e n t r e q u e s t e d t h e W e l f a r e Department
t o place her children i n the B i l l i n g s Children's
Receiving Home.
"13. That t h e r e s p o n d e n t h a s moved numerous t i m e s
and h a s f a i l e d t o k e e p t h e W e l f a r e Department a d v i s e d
of h e r c u r r e n t a d d r e s s .
"14. That t h e r e s p o n d e n t on December 25, 1974,
e n t e r e d i n t o a w r i t t e n agreement w i t h h e r mother-in-law
$
: * 9: p l a c i n g permanent c u s t o d y o f t h e s a i d c h i l d r e n
with *** [ t h e mother-in-law].
"15. That s a i d c h i l d r e n a r e y o u t h i n need o f c a r e
and i t i s i n t h e i r b e s t i n t e r e s t t h a t t h e i r c u s t o d y b e
g r a n t e d t o t h e Department o f S o c i a l and R e h a b i l i t a t i o n
S e r v i c e s of t h e S t a t e of Montana, w i t h t h e r i g h t o f
a d o p t i o n , s o p l a n s can b e made f o r t h e i r . f u t u r e s e c u r i t y
and w e l f a r e . I 1
Respondent D i v i s i o n o f C h i l d W e l f a r e S e r v i c e s m a i n t a i n s
t h a t t h e r e i s s u f f i c i e n t c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e o f "youth i n need o f
c a r e " and r e l i e s h e a v i l y on a "REPORT T THE COURT1' from t h e
O
Yellowstone County Department of P u b l i c W e l f a r e . Upon c a r e f u l
review of t h e record w e a r e i n accord w i t h a p p e l l a n t .
I t i s w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t t h i s C o u r t ' s f u n c t i o n on
appeal i s t o determine whether t h e r e i s s u f f i c i e n t c r e d i b l e e v i -
dence t o s u p p o r t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s f i n d i n g s . Crncevich v.
Georgetown R e c r e a t i o n Corp., Mon t . , 541 P.2d 5 6 , 32
St.Rep. 963,966; Richardson v. Howard Motor Co., 163 Mont. 347,
Respondent D i v i s i o n o f C h i l d W e l f a r e S e r v i c e s c a l l e d
e i g h t w i t n e s s e s a t t h e h e a r i n g on t h e p e t i t i o n f o r permanent c u s t o d y .
T h e i r t e s t i m o n y d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h t h a t a p p e l l a n t had "abused" o r
" n e g l e c t e d " h e r c h i l d r e n w i t h i n t h e meaning o f s e c t i o n 10-1301,
o r t h a t t h e y were "dependent youth" u n d e r t h a t s t a t u t e . A t most
i t was o n l y c l e a r t h a t a p p e l l a n t had d i f f i c u l t y i n f i n d i n g a p e r -
manent home f o r h e r f a m i l y . Necessarily then t h e remaining evidence
before t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ---the "REPORT T THE COURT" from t h e
O
Yellowstone County Department of Public Welfare---must establish
II
youth i n need of c a r e " by s u b s t a n t i a l c r e d i b l e evidence i f t h e
judgment of t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i s t o s t a n d .
11
The r e p o r t i s a Summarized H i s t o r y " o f a p p e l l a n t ' s
contacts with l o c a l welfare agencies. It contains e n t r i e s f o r
35 d a t e s covering t h e p e r i o d from 1969 t o e a r l y 1974. Many o f
t h e e n t r i e s a r e n o t even m a t e r i a l t o t h e i s s u e of whether a p p e l l a n t ' s
c h i l d r e n a r e "youth i n need o f care". Other n o t a t i o n s a r e rank
hearsay o r come from u n i d e n t i f i e d s o u r c e s and l i k e w i s e should
have been d i s r e g a r d e d by t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t . I t i s impossible t o
c a t e g o r i z e i t s c o n t e n t s a s s u b s t a n t i a l c r e d i b l e evidence.
Granted a p p e l l a n t and h e r c h i l d r e n have encountered
difficulties. The t r a g i c d e a t h of a husband and f a t h e r has had
a l a r g e impact on t h e i r l i v e s . S u i t a b l e housing and a decent job
a r e problems f o r many i n o u r s o c i e t y , b u t such a d v e r s i t y should
n o t cause u s t o d i s s o l v e t h e family a b s e n t a c o n c r e t e showing t h a t
i t i s i n t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t of t h e c h i l d r e n involved. (See I n t h e
Matter of Declaring Henderson, a dependent and n e g l e c t e d Child,
Mont . , 542 P.2d 1204, 32 S t . Rep. 1154, 1157, and
cases c i t e d therein.)
The l e g i s l a t u r e h a s d e c l a r e d t h e p o l i c y o f t h i s s t a t e f o r
abused, n e g l e c t e d , and dependent c h i l d r e n i n s e c t i o n 10-1300, R.C.M.
1947, which provides:
"1t i s hereby d e c l a r e d t o be t h e p o l i c y of t h e s t a t e of
Montana :
"(1) t o e n s u r e t h a t a l l youth a r e a f f o r d e d an
adequate p h y s i c a l and emotional environment t o
promote normal development;
"(2) t o compel i n proper c a s e s t h e p a r e n t o r
guardian of a youth t o perform t h e moral and l e g a l
duty owed t o t h e youth;
"(3) t o a c h i e v e t h e s e purposes i n a family en-
vironment whenever p o s s i b l e ; and
"(4) t o p r e s e r v e t h e u n i t y and w e l f a r e o f t h e
family whenever p o s s i b l e . " (Emphasis s u p p l i e d ) .
I n t h e i n s t a n t c a s e a t t h e h e a r i n g on p e t i t i o n f o r
permanent custody, we hold t h e r e was n o t s u b s t a n t i a l c r e d i b l e
evidence t o support f i n d i n g s No. 9 , 1 and 15 of t h e d i s t r i c t
1
c o u r t which bottomed t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ' s conclusions o f law and
judgment t h a t t h e s e c h i l d r e n should b e taken from t h e i r mother
and permanent custody awarded t o t h e Department of S o c i a l R e h a b i l i -
t a t i o n Services. T h i s was a c l e a r abuse of d i s c r e t i o n by t h e
d i s t r i c t court.
Following from such a f a i l u r e of p r o o f , t h e l e g i s l a t i v e
p o l i c y t o p r e s e r v e t h e u n i t y and w e l f a r e of t h e family must p r e v a i l .
The judgment o f t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t i s r e v e r s e d and t h e
c a s e i s remanded t o t h a t c o u r t f o r e n t r y of an o r d e r n o t i n c o n s i s t e n t
t o what has been s t a t e d h e r e i n w i t h such f u r t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n being
given t h e w e l f a r e of t h e c h i l d r e n and t h e mother on a c u r r e n t b a s i s
a s may be i n d i c a t e d .
Justice
*
w
4 Concur: /
i' 'Chief Justice