Appellate Court Opinions

Appeal from an order terminating respondents' parental rights; whether the evidence supports the trial court's findings of fact and whether the findings of fact supports its conclusion that respondent-mother's parental rights should be terminated pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1) (2019); whether the trial court abused its discretion in concluding that it was in the children's best interests that respondent-father's parental rights be terminated.

Termination of parental rights for willful abandonment pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(7); whether the trial court made sufficient findings of fact to support the conclusion that grounds existed to terminate parental rights.

Termination of parental rights for neglect pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1); whether the findings of fact were supported by evidence and supported a likelihood of repetition of neglect.

Termination of parental rights; trial court's failure to state the standard of proof used to make adjudicatory findings of fact; insufficient evidence to support adjudication.

Termination of parental rights; subject matter jurisdiction; standing; whether petitioner had custody of the juvenile by order of a court of competent jurisdiction; determination of juvenile's best interests; whether the trial court acted under a misapprehension of law regarding the effect of respondent-mother's specific relinquishment of her parental rights.

Appeal from order terminating respondent's parental rights; termination of respondent's parental rights pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1); whether the trial court erred by excluding respondent's testimony at disposition; whether the trial court erred in the dispositional phase by failing to state the applicable standard of review.

Termination of parental rights pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(9) on the grounds that respondent had parental rights to a child previously terminated and lacked the willingness or ability to establish a safe home.

Whether a search effected by the imposition of lifetime satellite-based monitoring upon a defendant convicted of an aggravated offense pursuant to Section 14-208.6(1a) of the North Carolina General Statutes is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment; whether the imposition of satellite-based monitoring constitutes a general warrant in violation of the North Carolina Constitution.

Whether the Court of Appeals erred by allowing defendant's petition for writ of certiorari and invoking Rule 2 of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure to hear defendant's unpreserved challenge to the trial court's orders imposing lifetime satellite-based monitoring.

Appeal from order terminating respondent's parental rights; termination of respondent's parental rights pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1), neglect.

Order terminating parental rights; whether the trial court's findings support its conclusion that grounds existed to terminate respondent's parental rights under N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(2); whether the trial court complied with the requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Termination of parental rights; whether the trial court made sufficient findings to eliminate reunification from the permanent plan; whether DSS undertook reasonable efforts toward reunification; whether the evidence and the trial court's findings show respondent-mother willfully failed to pay a reasonable portion of the children's cost of care under N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(3).

Appeal from order terminating respondent's parental rights; termination of respondent's parental rights pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(2); willful failure to make reasonable progress.

Order eliminating reunification from the children's permanent plan and subsequent order terminating father's parental rights for failure to make reasonable progress to correct the conditions which led to the removal of the children, pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(2), are affirmed where competent evidence supports the findings of fact and the findings support the conclusions of law.

Termination of parental rights pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1)-(3), (6); no-merit review pursuant to Rule 3.1(e) of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure.

Termination of parental rights pursuant to N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1)-(2), (5)-(7); no-merit review pursuant to N.C.R. App. P. 3.1(e).

Termination of parental rights; whether the trial court had subject matter jurisdiction to enter termination order; whether the trial court operated under a misapprehension of law that post-petition facts were irrelevant and unnecessary in terminating parental rights under N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1)-(2).

Whether the trial court erred in adjudicating grounds to terminate respondent's parental rights under N.C.G.S. 7B-1111(a)(1).

Termination of parental rights; whether the trial court had subject matter jurisdiction over a petition to terminate parental rights where an order had previously been entered in another county establishing petitioner's guardianship of the child; whether the trial court failed to exercise its discretion to appoint the children a guardian ad litem under N.C.G.S. 7B-1108(c).