Title: Amendments to The Rules of Juvenile Procedure (8.330 and 8.525)

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

1  Given the noncontroversial nature of the amendments, we waive the requirement that they be
presented to the Board of Governors for its approval.  See Fla. R. Jud. Admin.  2.130(e).
Supreme 
Court 
of 
Florida
 
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No. SC00-1469
____________
AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES OF
 JUVENILE PROCEDURE (8.330 AND 8.525)
[November 22, 2000]
PER CURIAM.
The Juvenile Court Rules Committee (“Committee”) of The Florida Bar has
submitted an emergency petition to amend Rules of Juvenile Procedure 8.330 and
8.525.  We have jurisdiction.  Art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.  The Committee approved the
changes by votes of 18-3-1.1  The proposed changes were published for comments,
but none were filed.
The amendments specify that parties may appear at adjudicatory hearings by
audio or audiovisual devices in dependency and termination of parental rights
proceedings.  Compare  Amendment to Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.100(a),
2The text of rule 8.330 shown in the appendix reflects the amendments adopted in Amendments
to Rules of Juvenile Procedure, No. SC00-644 (Fla. Oct. 26, 2000), which are to take effect at the same
time as the amendments adopted herein.
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25 Fla. L. Weekly S516 (Fla. July 6, 2000) (rejecting proposed amendment which
would allow juvenile detention hearings to be conducted through audiovisual devices).
 
The Committee explains in its petition that it has proposed these amendments
because when a parent is incarcerated in another state or in a federal correctional
institution, neither the State of Florida, the Florida court, nor the attorney for that
parent can obtain the parent's presence at the hearing in Florida.  If that parent
exercises the right to be present at the hearing as provided under the current language
in the rules, the dependency or termination of parental rights proceedings cannot go
forward until the parent's release.  As such, the current rules cause significant delays
in achieving permanency for children.  The Committee asserts that allowing the use of
audio or audiovisual devices will ensure the parent's ability to participate in the
proceedings while not delaying the child's permanency.  
 
After reviewing the proposed amendments, we adopt them as set forth in the
appendix to this opinion.  Deletions are indicated by struck-through type, and new
language is indicated by underscoring.2  Committee notes are included for explanation
and guidance only and are not adopted as an official part of the rules. The
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amendments shall become effective on January 1, 2001, at 12:01 a.m.
It is so ordered.
WELLS, C.J., and SHAW, HARDING, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, LEWIS and
QUINCE, JJ., concur.
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS.
Original Proceeding - Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure
Honorable John M. Alexander, Chair, Juvenile Court Rules Committee, St. Augustine,
Florida, and John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee,
Florida,
for Petitioner
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APPENDIX
RULE 8.330.
ADJUDICATORY HEARINGS
(a)
Hearing by Judge. The adjudicatory hearing shall be conducted by the
judge, without a jury, utilizing the rules of evidence in use in civil cases. At this hearing
the court shall determine whether the allegations of the dependency petition have been
sustained by a preponderance of the evidence. If the court is of the opinion that the
allegations are sustained by clear and convincing evidence, it may enter an order so
stating.
(b)
Examination of Witnesses. A party may call any person as a witness.
A party shall have the right to examine or cross-examine all witnesses. However, the
child and the parents, caregivers, or legal custodians of the child may be examined
separately and apart from each other.
(c)
Presence of Parties. All parties have the right to be present at all
hearings. A party may appear in person or, at the discretion of the court for good
cause shown, by an audio or audiovisual device.  No party shall be excluded from any
hearing unless so ordered by the court for disruptive behavior or as provided by law.
If a person appears for the arraignment hearing and the court orders that person to
personally appear at the adjudicatory hearing for dependency, stating the date, time,
and place of the adjudicatory hearing, then that person's failure to appear for the
scheduled adjudicatory hearing constitutes consent to a dependency adjudication.
(d)
Joint and Separate Hearings. When 2 or more children are alleged to
be dependent children, the hearing may be held simultaneously when the several
children involved are related to each other or involved in the same case, unless the
court orders separate hearings.
(e)
Motion for Judgment of Dismissal. In all proceedings, if at the close
of the evidence for the petitioner the court is of the opinion that the evidence is
insufficient to warrant a finding of dependency, it may, and on the motion of any party
shall, enter an order dismissing the petition for insufficiency of the evidence.
(f)
Dismissal. If the court shall find that the allegations in the petition have
not been sustained, it shall enter an order dismissing the case.
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(g)
Findings and Orders. In all cases in which dependency is established,
the court shall enter a written order stating the legal basis for a finding of dependency,
specifying the facts upon which the finding of dependency is based, and stating
whether the court made the finding by a preponderance of the evidence or by clear and
convincing evidence.
Committee Notes
1991 Amendment. (a) This change gives the court the option of making a
finding based on a higher burden of proof to eliminate the need for a repetitive hearing
on the same evidence if a termination of parental rights petition is filed.
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RULE 8.525.
ADJUDICATORY HEARINGS
(a)
Hearing by Judge. The adjudicatory hearing shall be conducted by the
judge without a jury utilizing the rules of evidence in use in civil cases. At this hearing
the court shall determine whether the elements required by law for termination of
parental rights have been established by clear and convincing evidence.
(b)
Time of Hearing. The adjudicatory hearing shall be held within 45 days
after the advisory hearing, unless all necessary parties stipulate to some other hearing
date. Reasonable continuances may be granted for purposes of investigation,
discovery, procuring counsel or witnesses, or for other good cause shown.
(c)
Examination of Witnesses. A party may call any person, including a
child, as a witness. A party shall have the right to examine or cross-examine all
witnesses.
(d)
Presence of Parties. All parties have the right to be present at all
termination hearings. A party may appear in person or, at the discretion of the court
for good cause shown, by an audio or audiovisual device. No party shall be excluded
from any hearing unless so ordered by the court for disruptive behavior or as provided
by law. If a parent appears for the advisory hearing and the court orders that parent
to personally appear at the adjudicatory hearing for the petition for termination of
parental rights, stating the date, time, and location of said hearing, then failure of that
parent to personally appear at the adjudicatory hearing shall constitute consent for
termination of parental rights.
(e)
Examination of Child. The court may hear the testimony of the child
outside the physical presence of the parties as provided by rule 8.255. Counsel for the
parties shall be present during all examinations. The court may limit the manner in
which counsel examine the child.
(f)
Previous Testimony Admissible. To avoid unnecessary duplication of
expenses, in-court testimony previously given at any properly noticed hearing may be
admitted, without regard to the availability of the witnesses, if the recorded testimony
itself is made available. Consideration of previous testimony does not preclude the
parties from calling the witness to answer supplemental questions.
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(g)
Joint and Separate Hearings. When 2 or more children are the subject
of a petition for termination of parental rights, the hearings may be held simultaneously
when the children are related to each other or involved in the same case, unless the
court orders separate hearings.
(h)
Motion for Judgment of Dismissal. In all termination of parental rights
proceedings, if at the close of the evidence for the petitioner the parents move for a
judgment of dismissal and the court is of the opinion that the evidence is insufficient
to sustain the grounds for termination alleged in the petition, it shall enter an order
denying the termination and proceed with dispositional alternatives as provided by law.
(i)
Final Judgment.
(A)
Terminating Parental Rights. If the court finds after all of the
evidence has been presented that the elements and one of the grounds for termination
of parental rights have been established by clear and convincing evidence, the court
shall enter a final judgment terminating parental rights and proceed with dispositional
alternatives as provided by law. The order must contain the findings of fact and
conclusions of law upon which the decision was based. The parties may stipulate, or
the court may order, that parents or relatives of the parent whose rights are terminated
be allowed to maintain some contact with the child. If the court orders continued
contact, the nature and frequency of such contact must be set forth in a written order.
The visitation order may be reviewed on motion of any party, including a prospective
adoptive parent, and must be reviewed by the court at the time the child is adopted.
(B)
Denying Termination of Parental Rights.  If the court finds after
all of the evidence has been presented that the grounds for termination of parental
rights have not been established by clear and convincing evidence, but that the
grounds for dependency have been established by a preponderance of the evidence,
the court shall adjudicate or readjudicate the child dependent and proceed with
dispositional alternatives as provided by law.
(C)
Dismissing Petition.  If the court finds after all of the evidence has
been presented that the allegations in the petition do not establish grounds for
dependency or termination of parental rights, it shall enter an order dismissing the
petition.