The Florida Senate

39.013  Procedures and jurisdiction; right to counsel.--

(1)  All procedures, including petitions, pleadings, subpoenas, summonses, and hearings, in this chapter shall be according to the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure unless otherwise provided by law. Parents must be informed by the court of their right to counsel in dependency proceedings at each stage of the dependency proceedings. Parents who are unable to afford counsel must be appointed counsel.

(2)  The circuit court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of all proceedings under this chapter, of a child voluntarily placed with a licensed child-caring agency, a licensed child-placing agency, or the department, and of the adoption of children whose parental rights have been terminated pursuant to this chapter. Jurisdiction attaches when the initial shelter petition, dependency petition, or termination of parental rights petition is filed or when a child is taken into the custody of the department. The circuit court may assume jurisdiction over any such proceeding regardless of whether the child was in the physical custody of both parents, was in the sole legal or physical custody of only one parent, caregiver, or some other person, or was in the physical or legal custody of no person when the event or condition occurred that brought the child to the attention of the court. When the court obtains jurisdiction of any child who has been found to be dependent, the court shall retain jurisdiction, unless relinquished by its order, until the child reaches 18 years of age.

(3)  When a child is under the jurisdiction of the circuit court pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, the circuit court assigned to handle dependency matters may exercise the general and equitable jurisdiction over guardianship proceedings pursuant to the provisions of chapter 744 and proceedings for temporary custody of minor children by extended family pursuant to the provisions of chapter 751.

(4)  The order of the circuit court hearing dependency matters shall be filed by the clerk of the court in any dissolution or other custody action or proceeding and shall take precedence over other custody and visitation orders entered in those actions.

(5)  The court shall expedite the resolution of the placement issue in cases involving a child who has been removed from the parent and placed in an out-of-home placement.

(6)  The court shall expedite the judicial handling of all cases when the child has been removed from the parent and placed in an out-of-home placement.

(7)  Children removed from their homes shall be provided equal treatment with respect to goals, objectives, services, and case plans, without regard to the location of their placement.

(8)  For any child who remains in the custody of the department, the court shall, within the month which constitutes the beginning of the 6-month period before the child's 18th birthday, hold a hearing to review the progress of the child while in the custody of the department.

(9)(a)  At each stage of the proceedings under this chapter, the court shall advise the parents of the right to counsel. The court shall appoint counsel for indigent parents. The court shall ascertain whether the right to counsel is understood. When right to counsel is waived, the court shall determine whether the waiver is knowing and intelligent. The court shall enter its findings in writing with respect to the appointment or waiver of counsel for indigent parents or the waiver of counsel by nonindigent parents.

(b)  Once counsel has entered an appearance or been appointed by the court to represent the parent of the child, the attorney shall continue to represent the parent throughout the proceedings. If the attorney-client relationship is discontinued, the court shall advise the parent of the right to have new counsel retained or appointed for the remainder of the proceedings.

(c)1.  No waiver of counsel may be accepted if it appears that the parent is unable to make an intelligent and understanding choice because of mental condition, age, education, experience, the nature or complexity of the case, or other factors.

2.  A waiver of counsel made in court must be of record.

3.  If a waiver of counsel is accepted at any hearing or proceeding, the offer of assistance of counsel must be renewed by the court at each subsequent stage of the proceedings at which the parent appears without counsel.

(d)  This subsection does not apply to any parent who has voluntarily executed a written surrender of the child and consents to the entry of a court order terminating parental rights.

(10)  The time limitations in this chapter do not include:

(a)  Periods of delay resulting from a continuance granted at the request or with the consent of the child's counsel or the child's guardian ad litem, if one has been appointed by the court, or, if the child is of sufficient capacity to express reasonable consent, at the request or with the consent of the child.

(b)  Periods of delay resulting from a continuance granted at the request of any party, if the continuance is granted:

1.  Because of an unavailability of evidence material to the case when the requesting party has exercised due diligence to obtain such evidence and there are substantial grounds to believe that such evidence will be available within 30 days. However, if the requesting party is not prepared to proceed within 30 days, any other party, inclusive of the parent or legal custodian, may move for issuance of an order to show cause or the court on its own motion may impose appropriate sanctions, which may include dismissal of the petition.

2.  To allow the requesting party additional time to prepare the case and additional time is justified because of an exceptional circumstance.

(c)  Reasonable periods of delay necessary to accomplish notice of the hearing to the child's parent or legal custodian; however, the petitioner shall continue regular efforts to provide notice to the parents during such periods of delay.

(d)  Reasonable periods of delay resulting from a continuance granted at the request of the parent or legal custodian of a subject child.

(e)  Notwithstanding the foregoing, continuances and extensions of time are limited to the number of days absolutely necessary to complete a necessary task in order to preserve the rights of a party or the best interests of a child. Time is of the essence for the best interests of dependent children in conducting dependency proceedings in accordance with the time limitations set forth in this chapter. Time limitations are a right of the child which may not be waived, extended, or continued at the request of any party in advance of the particular circumstances or need arising upon which delay of the proceedings may be warranted.

(f)  Continuances or extensions of time may not total more than 60 days for all parties within any 12-month period during proceedings under this chapter. A continuance or extension of time beyond the 60 days may be granted only for extraordinary circumstances necessary to preserve the constitutional rights of a party or when substantial evidence demonstrates that the child's best interests will be affirmatively harmed without the granting of a continuance or extension of time.

(11)  Court-appointed counsel representing indigent parents at shelter hearings shall be paid from state funds appropriated by general law.

History.--s. 20, ch. 78-414; s. 5, ch. 84-311; s. 4, ch. 87-289; s. 4, ch. 90-306; s. 2, ch. 92-158; s. 3, ch. 94-164; s. 5, ch. 95-228; s. 8, ch. 98-280; s. 24, ch. 98-403; s. 7, ch. 99-193; s. 16, ch. 2000-139; s. 1, ch. 2002-216.

Note.--Former s. 39.40.