Daniels v. State

Summary

The Oklahoma Supreme Court reviewed the termination of JoAnna Daniels’s parental rights to her minor daughter based on drug use and failure to complete court-ordered services. The court held that clear and convincing evidence supported the finding that termination was in the child’s best interests and affirmed the trial court’s judgment, vacating the Court of Civil Appeals’ opinion.

Holdings

1. The State presented sufficient clear and convincing evidence to support termination of Mother's parental rights, including evidence of Mother's drug problem, repeated failed or refused drug tests, failure to complete required treatment and counseling, and refusal to acknowledge the problem or obtain court-ordered help.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the State presented clear and convincing evidence that termination of Mother's parental rights was in the child's best interests.
2. Whether the evidence established that Mother failed to correct the conditions that led to the child's deprived adjudication.

Disposition

vacated