Background
Six related appeals arose from Dawson County Juvenile Court orders concerning custody of three minor children. The mother, acting pro se, filed motions to consolidate and to supplement the record in each appeal.
The Court of Appeals concluded that the matters had reached it as piecemeal appeals with incomplete trial-court records. The court also noted that Heather Daly was neither a party nor an attorney of record in the case.
The Court’s Holding
The Court of Appeals remanded all six appeals to the Juvenile Court of Dawson County for completion of the record. It directed the juvenile-court clerk to submit a full and complete underlying record, together with all current and pending notices of appeal, within 20 days.
The court further directed its clerk not to accept filings from Daly unless the juvenile court lifts its prohibition on Daly representing the mother. The order was to be served on the mother, Daly, the juvenile-court clerk, and the other parties.
Key Takeaways
- Incomplete records can require remand before related custody appeals can proceed.
- The remand applied to all six related appeals, not solely this docket.
- Filings by a person not authorized to represent a party may be rejected under the court’s order.
Why It Matters
The order underscores that an appellate court needs a complete trial-court record to address custody-related appeals. It also shows the court managing related, piecemeal appeals together to obtain the necessary record before further review.