Case Name: W.R., Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2001-04-04
Citations: 781 So. 2d 504
Docket Number: No. 3D00-1432
Parties: W.R., Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: Before LEVY, SHEVIN and RAMIREZ, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 781
Pages: 504–504

Head Matter:
W.R., Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 3D00-1432.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
April 4, 2001.
Julio F. Margalli and Andrea Shaye Margalli, Key West, for appellant.
Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, and Fredericka Sands, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.
Before LEVY, SHEVIN and RAMIREZ, JJ.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Affirmed. See In re M.F., 770 So.2d 1189 (Fla.2000)(court must consider all circumstances in finding a child dependent based on abuse of other children); Department of Health & Rehabilitative Servs. v. M.B., 701 So.2d 1155, 1163 (Fla.1997)("[T]he alleged abuser's culpability is not the focus of a civil dependency proceeding. Dependency proceedings are to be initiated for 'the protection of the child and not the punishment of the person creating the condition of dependency.' ")(footnote omitted)(quoting § 39.404(2), Fla. Stat.); In re D.J.W., 764 So.2d 825, 826 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000)(court may not substitute its judgment for that of trial court in reviewing dependency adjudication; trial court's findings will be affirmed if supported by competent substantial evidence); C.J. v. Department of Children & Families, 756 So.2d 1108, 1109 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000)(trial court has sound discretion to grant or deny continuance).