Watkins v. Watkins

Sears, Justice.

We granted an application for discretionary appeal in this case to consider whether, following a hearing on a parental custody dispute in the parties’ divorce action, the trial court erred in awarding custody of the parties’ minor children to the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) based upon findings that the children were deprived and the parents unfit. Because the appellant did not have notice that the trial court might award custody of her children to a third party based upon standards of deprivation, we reverse the trial court’s judgment.

A final hearing in…