Cited by

The district court is in the best position to determine credibility, (noting that the district court stands in a superior position in assessing credibility of witnesses), and upon finding Peder’s 19 testimony credible, the court properly assigned the debt for repayment of the mortgage loan as Laura’s nonmarital debt.

(noting that the district court stands in a superior position in assessing credibility of witnesses).

(noting that the district court stands in a superior position to appellate courts in assessing credibility of witnesses); see also In re Civ.

Minnesota courts presume that “a natural parent is a fit and suitable person to be entrusted with the care of his or her child.”

(noting that the district court stands in a superior position to appellate courts in assessing credibility of witnesses).

“[T ]he court relies not primarily on past history, but to a great extent upon the projected permanency of the parent’s inability to care for his or her child.” (quotations omitted).

We “rel[y] not primarily on past history, but to a great extent upon the projected permanency of the parent’s inability to care for his or her child.”

In In re Welfare of A.D., the supreme court once again affirmed the termination of a mother’s parental rights, noting that “[i]n a termination case, the court relies not primarily on past history, but to a great extent upon the projected permanency of the parent’s inability 16 to care for his or her child.” (quotations omitted).

This court applies a clear -error standard of review to a district court’s findings of fact, and an abuse - of-discretion standard of review to a district court’s ultimate finding of a child’s best interests.

This court applies a clear-error standard of review to a district court's findings of fact, and an abuse- 6 of-discretion standard of review to a district court's ultimate finding of a child's best interests, rev. denied (Minn. Jan.

Deference is particularly warranted in termination proceedings because “the [district] court’s opportunity to observe the parent and other witnesses who are called to testify is so crucial to an accurate evaluation of what is best for the child.”

d 643, 648 (Minn. 1995).

(citations and quotations omitted); -61 (Minn. 2008); d at 385; d at 901.

D E C I S I O N Minnesota courts presume that “a natural parent is a fit and suitable person to be entrusted with the care of his or her child.”

D E C I S I O N A natural parent is presumptively a “fit and suitable person to be entrusted with the care of his or her child,” and “[o]rdinarily, it is in the best interest of a child to be in the custody of his or her natural parents.”

D E C I S I O N “There is perhaps no more grave matter that comes before the court than the termination of a parent’s relationship with a child.” d 643, 647 (Minn. 1995).

In deciding whether to terminate parental rights, the district court should rely “ not primarily on past history, but to a great extent upon the projected permanency of the parent’s inability to care for his or her child.” (quotation omitted).

D E C I S I O N A natural parent is presumptively a “fit and suitable person to be entrusted with the care of his or her child,” and “[o]rdinarily, it is in the best interest of a child to be in the custody of his or her natural parents.”

I. Minnesota courts presume that “a natural parent is a fit and suitable person to be entrusted with the care of his or her child.”

A natural parent is presumptively a “fit and suitable person to be entrusted with the care of his or her child,” and “[o]rdinarily, it is in the best interest of a child to be in the custody of his or her natural parents.”

14 entrusted with the care of his or her child.”

This appeal followed.1 D E C I S I O N A natural parent is presumptively a “fit and suitable person to be entrusted with the care of his or her child,” and “[o]rdinarily, it is in the best interest of a child to be in the custody of his or her natural parents.”

3 The father’s parental rights were also terminated, and he has not appealed the termination of his rights.

There is a “presumption that a natural parent is a fit and suitable person to be entrusted with the care of his or her child.”