Michigan Court Case: In the Matter of Crystal Lee Hill

In the Matter of CRYSTAL LEE HILL, Minor. LOREE CHERYL HILL, Petitioner-Appellee, v PAUL A. SIENKIEWICZ, JR, Respondent-Appellant. 

No. 195806 

COURT OF APPEALS OF MICHIGAN 

221 Mich. App. 683; 562 N.W.2d 254 

December 17, 1996, Submitted 

February 21, 1997, Decided 

St Clair Probate Court. LC No. 00005963. 

Affirmed. 

COUNSEL:
Christopher Pencak, for the petitioner. Warren.

Lord & Guilliat (by Stephen M. Guilliat), for the respondent. Port Huron. 

JUDGES:
Before: Cavanagh, P.J., and Reilly and C.D. Corwin *, JJ.

* Circuit judge, sitting on the Court of Appeals by assignment. 

OPINION:

CAVANAGH, P.J.
Respondent, Paul A. Sienkiewicz, Jr., appeals as of right a probate court order terminating his parental rights to his daughter, Crystal L. Hill, pursuant to § 51(6) of the Adoption Code, MCL 710.51(6); MSA 27.3178(555.51)(6). We affirm.
Respondent and petitioner, Loree C. Hill, are the parents of Crystal Hill. Crystal was born on April 17, 1984, when respondent was seventeen years old and petitioner was sixteen years old. In 1995, petitioner married Terry Kaltz. On November 7, 1995, petitioner and Terry Kaltz filed a petition for a stepparent adoption, seeking authorization for Terry Kaltz to adopt Crystal. On the same day, petitioner filed a petition seeking termination of respondent's parental rights to Crystal pursuant to § 51(6) of the Adoption Code. A termination hearing was held on April 25, 1996.