J.M. v. Madison County Department of Human Resources

THOMPSON, Presiding Judge.

The Madison County Department of Human Resources (“DHR”) filed a petition to terminate the parental rights of K.E.L. (“the mother”) and J.M. (“the father”) to their minor child, S.M. (“the child”). The juvenile court conducted the termination hearing over the course of two days in December 2012 and early January 2018. On January 15, 2013, the juvenile court entered a judgment terminating the parents’ parental rights.

The father filed a postjudgment motion, and he immediately filed a notice of appeal. The notice of appeal was held in abeyance pending a ruling on the…