Opinion
DOCKET NO. A-3348-16T2 DOCKET NO. A-3349-16T2
04-18-2018
NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF CHILD PROTECTION AND PERMANENCY, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. S.J.A., and P.B.G., Defendants-Appellants. IN THE MATTER OF THE GUARDIANSHIP OF S.T.A.G., Z.L.A., L.V.A., A.P.A., L.J.A., J.A., and P.S.A., Minors.
Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, attorney for appellant S.J.A. (Eric J. Meehan, Designated Counsel, on the brief). Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, attorney for appellant P.B.G. (Louis W. Skinner, Designated Counsel, on the brief). Gurbir S. Grewal, Attorney General, attorney for respondent (Melissa H. Raksa, Assistant Attorney General, of counsel; Mary A. Hurley, Deputy Attorney General, on the brief). Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, Law Guardian, attorney for minors P.S.A., S.T.A.G., and Z.L.A. (Noel C. Devlin, Assistant Deputy Public Defender, of counsel and on the brief). Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, Law Guardian, attorney for minors L.V.A. and A.P.A. (Joseph J. Gross, Designated Counsel, on the brief). Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, Law Guardian, attorney for minors L.J.A. and J.A. (Olivia Belfatto Crisp, Assistant Deputy Public Defender, on the brief).
RECORD IMPOUNDED
NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION
This opinion shall not "constitute precedent or be binding upon any court." Although it is posted on the internet, this opinion is binding only on the parties in the case and its use in other cases is limited. R. 1:36-3. Before Judges Fisher and Fasciale. On appeal from Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Family Part, Gloucester County, Docket No. FG-08-0053-16. Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, attorney for appellant S.J.A. (Eric J. Meehan, Designated Counsel, on the brief). Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, attorney for appellant P.B.G. (Louis W. Skinner, Designated Counsel, on the brief). Gurbir S. Grewal, Attorney General, attorney for respondent (Melissa H. Raksa, Assistant Attorney General, of counsel; Mary A. Hurley, Deputy Attorney General, on the brief). Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, Law Guardian, attorney for minors P.S.A., S.T.A.G., and Z.L.A. (Noel C. Devlin, Assistant Deputy Public Defender, of counsel and on the brief). Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, Law Guardian, attorney for minors L.V.A. and A.P.A. (Joseph J. Gross, Designated Counsel, on the brief). Joseph E. Krakora, Public Defender, Law Guardian, attorney for minors L.J.A. and J.A. (Olivia Belfatto Crisp, Assistant Deputy Public Defender, on the brief). PER CURIAM
Defendants S.J.A. and P.B.G. are the parents of seven children who were born in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016. Judge Timothy W. Chell presided over a two-day guardianship trial, after which he found that the evidence warranted termination of both defendants' parental rights to all but the oldest child. Both defendants appeal, arguing the judge erred in finding clear and convincing evidence on any of the four prongs of the applicable statutory test, N.J.S.A. 30:4C-15.1; defendant P.B.G. also argues he "should not be penalized for the actions of S.J.A." We find insufficient merit in these arguments, R. 2:11-3(e)(1)(E), and affirm substantially for the reasons set forth by Judge Chell in his thorough and well-reasoned written decision.
All the children but two - the two youngest, L.J.A. and J.A. - support defendants' arguments. --------
Affirmed. I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the original on file in my office.
CLERK OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION