Title: In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure - 2020 Fast-Track Report

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
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No. SC20-1153 
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IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO THE FLORIDA RULES OF JUVENILE 
PROCEDURE—2020 FAST-TRACK REPORT. 
 
March 11, 2021 
PER CURIAM. 
This matter is before the Court for consideration of further amendments to 
the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure.1  Previously in this case, The Florida 
Bar’s Juvenile Court Rules Committee (Committee) filed a “fast-track” report 
proposing amendments to the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure in response to 
recent legislation.  See Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.140(e).  The Court adopted the 
amendments as proposed by the Committee.  In re Amends. to Fla. Rules of Juv. 
Proc.—2020 Fast-Track Report, 302 So. 3d 309 (Fla. 2020).   
Because the amendments were not published for comment prior to their 
adoption, interested parties were permitted to file comments with the Court after 
 
 
1.  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
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their adoption.  One comment was received, and the Committee filed a response.  
Upon consideration of the comment and response, the Court now further amends 
the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure as discussed below. 
BACKGROUND 
In the September 10, 2020, opinion in this case, the Court amended Florida 
Rules of Juvenile Procedure 8.225 (Process, Diligent Searches, and Service of 
Pleadings and Papers), 8.345 (Post-Disposition Relief), 8.400 (Case Plan 
Development), and 8.415 (Judicial Review of Dependency Cases).  These 
amendments were in response to legislative changes to sections 39.0137, 39.522, 
39.6011, and 39.701, Florida Statutes (2019).  See ch. 2020-65, § 2, Laws of Fla.; 
ch. 2020-138, §§ 5-7, Laws of Fla.  The amendments included, but were not 
limited to, enumerating the factors that a court must consider when determining a 
change of child custody or placement and requiring written notice to parents and 
caregivers that they must work together towards the success of the case plan. 
The amendments became effective immediately upon the release of the 
September 10, 2020, opinion.  However, interested persons were given an 
opportunity to file comments with the Court after the amendments were adopted.  
One comment was filed suggesting additional amendments to rule 8.345 (Post-
Disposition Relief) and requesting further amendments to the Florida Rules of 
Juvenile Procedure in light of chapter 2020-138, section 10, Laws of Florida, 
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which created section 409.1415, Florida Statutes (2020), a statute that was not 
addressed in the Committee’s fast-track report.   
The Committee filed a response, wherein it agreed with the comment’s 
suggested amendments to rule 8.345.  However, it declined to propose further 
amendments in response to section 409.1415.  The Executive Committee of the 
Board of Governors of The Florida Bar (Board) unanimously approved the 
suggested amendment to rule 8.345(b)(1) (Generally).  The proposed amendment 
adding new subdivision (3) (Removal from Home) to rule 8.345(b) (Standard for 
Changing Custody) was previously approved by the Board; however, the proposal 
was inadvertently omitted from the Committee’s fast-track report.   
Upon consideration of the comment and the Committee’s response, the 
Court adopts the additional amendments to rule 8.345 as requested by the 
Committee but declines to further amend the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure 
in response to section 409.1415. 
AMENDMENTS 
First, rule 8.345(b)(1) (Generally), which outlines the standard for changing 
custody of the child, was previously amended to list the factors that the court must 
consider in determining whether a change of custody is in the child’s best interest.  
The rule is now amended, as suggested, by deleting “applying this standard, the 
court shall consider the continuity of the child’s placement in the same out-of-
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home residence as a factor when determining” so that the rule tracks the statutory 
language.  Also, we adopt the grammatical changes to rule 8.345(b)(1) as 
suggested in the comment. 
Additionally, new subdivision (3) (Removal from Home) is added to rule 
8.345(b) (Standard for Changing Custody), as suggested, to incorporate the 
legislative changes.  Specifically, the new subdivision addresses the factors that 
must be used by a court when considering whether to remove a child who has been 
reunified with a parent pursuant to an in-home safety plan.   
CONCLUSION 
Accordingly, Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.345 is amended as 
reflected in the appendix to this opinion.  New language is indicated by 
underscoring; deletions are indicated by struck-through type.  The amendments 
shall become effective immediately upon the release of this opinion. 
It is so ordered. 
CANADY, C.J., and POLSTON, LABARGA, LAWSON, MUÑIZ, COURIEL, 
and GROSSHANS, 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  
 
Matthew Charles Wilson, Chair, Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure Committee, 
Crestview, Florida, Joshua E. Doyle, Executive Director, and Mikalla Andies 
Davis, Staff Liaison, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, Florida,  
 
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for Petitioner 
Robin L. Rosenberg on behalf of Florida’s Children First, Coral Springs, Florida, 
Responding with comments 
 
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APPENDIX 
 
RULE 8.345. 
POST-DISPOSITION RELIEF 
(a) 
[No Change] 
(b)  
Standard for Changing Custody.  
(1)  
Generally. The standard for changing custody of the child shall 
be the best interests of the child. When determining whether a change of legal 
custody or placement is in applying this standard, the court shall consider the 
continuity of the child’s placement in the same out-of-home residence as a factor 
when determining the best interests of the child, the court shall consider: 
(A) - (J)  
[No Change] 
(2) 
[No Change] 
(3) 
Removal from Home. In cases in which the issue before the 
court is whether to place a child in out-of-home care after the child was placed in 
the child’s own home with an in-home safety plan or the child was reunified with a 
parent or caregiver with an in-home safety plan, the court must consider, at a 
minimum, the following factors in making its determination whether to place the 
child in out-of-home care:  
(A) The circumstances that caused the child’s 
dependency and other subsequently identified issues.  
(B) The length of time the child has been placed in the 
home with an in-home safety plan.  
(C) The parent’s or caregiver’s current level of protective 
capacities.  
(D) The level of increase, if any, in the parent’s or 
caregiver’s protective capacities since the child’s 
placement in the home based on the length of time the 
child has been placed in the home.  
(c) - (d) 
[No Change]