The Florida Senate

744.3725  Procedure for extraordinary authority.--Before the court may grant authority to a guardian to exercise any of the rights specified in s. 744.3215(4), the court must:

(1)  Appoint an independent attorney to act on the incapacitated person's behalf, and the attorney must have the opportunity to meet with the person and to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses at any hearing on the petition for authority to act;

(2)  Receive as evidence independent medical, psychological, and social evaluations with respect to the incapacitated person by competent professionals or appoint its own experts to assist in the evaluations;

(3)  Personally meet with the incapacitated person to obtain its own impression of the person's capacity, so as to afford the incapacitated person the full opportunity to express his or her personal views or desires with respect to the judicial proceeding and issue before the court;

(4)  Find by clear and convincing evidence that the person lacks the capacity to make a decision about the issue before the court and that the incapacitated person's capacity is not likely to change in the foreseeable future;

(5)  Be persuaded by clear and convincing evidence that the authority being requested is in the best interests of the incapacitated person; and

(6)  In the case of dissolution of marriage, find that the ward's spouse has consented to the dissolution.

The provisions of this section and s. 744.3215(4) are procedural and do not establish any new or independent right to or authority over the termination of parental rights, dissolution of marriage, sterilization, abortion, or the termination of life support systems.

History.--s. 58, ch. 89-96; s. 43, ch. 90-271; s. 25, ch. 95-401; s. 1093, ch. 97-102.