IN RE GRACELYN H. - Articles

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IN RE GRACELYN H.

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Apr 30, 2026

Court: TN Court of Appeals

Attorneys 1: Joshua L. Phillips, Lexington, Tennessee, for the appellant, Gregory H.

Attorneys 2: Leanne A. Thorne, Lexington, Tennessee, for the appellees, Falon D. and Daniel D.

Judge(s): SMITH

This is a termination of parental rights appeal. The trial court found clear and convincing evidence to terminate father’s parental rights to the minor child on three statutory grounds: abandonment by failure to support, father’s confinement as the result of a criminal sentence of ten or more years when the child was under eight years old, and father’s failure to manifest an ability and willingness to personally assume legal and physical custody of the child. The trial court further concluded that termination was in the child’s best interest. We vacate the trial court’s finding as to father’s failure to manifest an ability and willingness to assume custody of the child. We affirm the judgment of the trial court in all other respects.

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