Case Name: M.M., Natural Father of L.H.K., Minor Child, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2008-08-15
Citations: 987 So. 2d 1267
Docket Number: No. 1D07-6527
Parties: M.M., Natural Father of L.H.K., Minor Child, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, Appellee.
Judges: VAN NORTWICK and HAWKES, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 987
Pages: 1267–1267

Head Matter:
M.M., Natural Father of L.H.K., Minor Child, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, Appellee.
No. 1D07-6527.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Aug. 15, 2008.
William M. Atkinson, Jr., Panama City, for Appellant.
Amy Thome and Adrienne C. Rodgers, Panama City, for Appellee.
Jennifer S. Paullin, Appellate Counsel, Guardian Ad Litem Program, Orlando.

Opinion:
BENTON, J.
"[T]he availability of a nonadoptive placement with a relative may not . be considered as a factor weighing against termination of parental rights." § 39.810(1), Fla. Stat. (2006). Since the child's mother's parental rights were terminated earlier, the "child will not be reunited with a parent, [and] adoption, under chapter 63, is the primary permanency option." § 39.621(6), Fla. Stat. (2006). As the Department of Children and Family Services acknowledges, "the trial court here has not precluded the paternal great grandmother from being among that number seeking to adopt L.K."
AFFIRMED.
VAN NORTWICK and HAWKES, JJ., concur.