The Florida Senate

751.05  Order granting temporary custody.--

(1)  At the hearing on the petition for temporary custody, the court must hear the evidence concerning a minor child's need for care by the petitioner, all other matters required to be set forth in the petition, and the objections or other testimony of the child's parents, if present.

(2)  Unless the minor child's parents object, the court shall award the temporary custody of the child to the petitioner when it is in the best interest of the child to do so.

(3)  If one of the minor child's parents objects to the granting of temporary custody to the petitioner, the court shall grant the petition only upon a finding, by clear and convincing evidence, that the child's parent or parents are unfit to provide the care and control of the child. In determining that a parent is unfit, the court must find that the parent has abused, abandoned, or neglected the child, as defined in chapter 39.

(4)  The order granting temporary custody of the minor child to the petitioner may also grant visitation rights to the child's parent or parents, if it is in the best interest of the child to do so.

(5)(a)  The order granting temporary custody of the minor child to the petitioner may not include an order for the support of the child unless the parent has received personal or substituted service of process, the petition requests an order for the support of the child, and there is evidence of the parent's ability to pay the support ordered.

(b)  The order granting temporary custody may redirect all or part of an existing child support obligation to be paid to the extended family member who is granted temporary custody of the child. If the court redirects an existing child support obligation, the order granting temporary custody must include, if possible, the determination of arrearages owed to the obligee and the person awarded temporary custody and must order payment of the arrearages. The clerk of the circuit court in which the temporary custody order is entered shall transmit a certified copy thereof to the court originally entering the child support order. The temporary custody order shall be recorded and filed in the original action in which child support was determined and become a part thereof. A copy of the temporary custody order shall be filed with the depository that serves as the official recordkeeper for support payments due under the support order. The depository shall maintain separate accounts and separate account numbers for individual obligees.

(6)  At any time, either or both of the child's parents may petition the court to modify or terminate the order granting temporary custody. The court shall terminate the order upon a finding that the parent is a fit parent, or by consent of the parties. The court may modify an order granting temporary custody if the parties consent or if modification is in the best interest of the child.

History.--s. 6, ch. 93-104; s. 5, ch. 2006-167.