FLORIDA GUARDIAN AD LITEM DEPENDENCY PRACTICE MANUAL Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program April 2016 he Florida Guardian ad Litem Program is dedicated to ensuring all of Florida’s dependent children receive effective best interest representation. It is hoped that The 2016 Guardian ad Litem T Dependency Practice Manual will be a valuable tool for attorneys and other child welfare professionals interested in legal advocacy and a deeper understanding of the legal issues facing Florida’s most vulnerable children. The 2016 Guardian ad Litem Dependency Practice Manual includes case law, practice tips, checklists and other practice aids. The citations in the manual have been abbreviated. A citation to § 39.01, Fla. Stat. (2015) appears as § 39.01; Fla. R. Juv. P. 9.800 appears as Rule 9.800; The Department of Children and Families appears as the department; and Child’s Best Interest Attorney appears as program attorney. This publication could not be produced without the contributions from Guardian ad Litem Program authors Chris Andriacchi, Gillian Batay, Wendie Cooper, Vanessa Cordero, Elizabeth Damski, Camille Frazer, Donald Frenette, Meliza Frias, Alicia Guerra, Rashel N. Johnson, Jennifer Layton, Christine Meyer, Dennis Moore, Thomasina Moore, Mary K. McAnally, Kelly Swartz, Kanisha Taylor, Jorge Tormes, Patrick Vincent, Patty Walker, Caitlin Wilcox, Mary K. Wimsett and Jessica Yates. Thank you to Debra Ervin, Elizabeth Overton, and Kelly Razzano for their indispensable editorial assistance. The Guardian ad Litem Program also thanks authors from outside the Guardian ad Litem Program including Matthew Dietz, Deborah Schroth, Jodi Siegel, Karen Oehme, and Sonia Crockett. These child welfare professionals went above and beyond to contribute to the Practice Manual – THANK YOU. Alan F. Abramowitz Executive Director Guardian ad Litem Program TABLE OF CONTENTS BASICS FOR EVERY GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM ATTORNEY .................................................... 13 HEARINGS AND STANDARDS OF PROOF AT A GLANCE .................................................................... 13 CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS AND OPEN HEARINGS ................................................................... 14 JURISDICTION AND VENUE IN DEPENDENCY PROCEEDINGS .......................................................... 15 DEFINING PARTIES AND PARTICIPANTS .............................................................................................. 17 DILIGENT SEARCH AND AFFIDAVIT OF DILIGENT SEARCH ............................................................... 18 CONTINUANCES ....................................................................................................................................... 19 APPOINTMENT OF THE GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM .................................................................. 20 GUARDIAN AD LITEM’S ACCESS TO RECORDS ................................................................................... 20 DISCOVERY .............................................................................................................................................. 21 FLORIDA UNIFORM CITATIONS .............................................................................................................. 23 DEPENDENCY AT A GLANCE CHECKLIST ............................................................................................ 25 EXPEDITING PERMANENCY: ENSURING POSITIVE OUTCOMES .......................................................... 28 OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................ 28 SHELTER ................................................................................................................................................... 29 ARRAIGNMENT ......................................................................................................................................... 30 ADJUDICATION AND ADJUDICATORY HEARING .................................................................................. 31 DISPOSITION ............................................................................................................................................ 31 CASE PLAN ............................................................................................................................................... 32 JUDICIAL REVIEW .................................................................................................................................... 33 REVIEW CASE PLAN GOAL AND SERVICES ......................................................................................... 34 PERMANENCY HEARING ......................................................................................................................... 34 TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS: TPR = STATUTORY GROUND (+) MBI (+) LRM .................. 35 PREPARE FOR TRIAL ............................................................................................................................... 35 SHELTERING CHILDREN ............................................................................................................................ 37 REPORTING ABUSE, ABANDONMENT OR NEGLECT .......................................................................... 37 1 PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATION ................................................................................................................ 39 ALTERNATIVES TO SHELTER ................................................................................................................. 44 REMOVAL OF CHILDREN......................................................................................................................... 45 PRIOR TO THE SHELTER HEARING ....................................................................................................... 49 SHELTER HEARING .................................................................................................................................. 50 ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE SHELTER HEARING ................................................................ 52 SHELTER HEARING CHECKLIST ............................................................................................................ 59 DEPENDENCY PETITION ............................................................................................................................. 62 CONTENTS OF DEPENDENCY PETITION .............................................................................................. 62 AMENDMENTS TO DEPENDENCY PETITION ........................................................................................ 63 DEFECTS AND VARIANCES IN THE FORM OF THE DEPENDENCY PETITION .................................. 63 VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL OF THE DEPENDENCY PETITON ................................................................ 63 DEPENDENCY PETITION CHECKLIST .................................................................................................... 64 ARRAIGNMENT & SHELTER REVIEW ....................................................................................................... 65 REASONABLE EFFORTS ......................................................................................................................... 65 ARRAIGNMENT TIME FRAMES ............................................................................................................... 65 OTHER TIME FRAMES ............................................................................................................................. 66 SERVICE .................................................................................................................................................... 66 DILIGENT SEARCH ................................................................................................................................... 66 PARENT’S PLEA ........................................................................................................................................ 66 ADJUDICATION & ADJUDICATORY HEARING ......................................................................................... 68 DEPENDENCY ADJUDICATION REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................. 68 ADJUDICATION ......................................................................................................................................... 68 FINDINGS AND ORDERS ......................................................................................................................... 69 DISPOSITIONS .............................................................................................................................................. 70 WHEN A DISPOSITION HEARING IS REQUIRED ................................................................................... 70 ISSUES TO CONSIDER PRIOR TO THE HEARING ................................................................................ 70 2 TIME FRAMES FOR DISPOSITION .......................................................................................................... 71 WHAT REPORTS SHOULD YOU EXPECT? ............................................................................................ 71 CASE PLAN ............................................................................................................................................... 73 THE ORDER OF THE COURT .................................................................................................................