In re K.M.

Citations

• 2020 Ohio 3602

Syllabus

The juvenile court's decision granting permanent custody of appellant's three children to appellee was not a default judgment, despite appellant's failure to appear at the permanent custody hearing where the trial court based its decision on the merits of the case including a full analysis of the law and evidence. The juvenile court's grant of permanent custody to appellee was supported by clear and convincing evidence where the grant of permanent custody was in the children's best interest and the children had been in appellee's custody for more than 12 of 22 months. Appellee was drug addicted, did not have contact with the children, and failed to make any strides toward completing her case plan while the children flourished with their foster family.