Case Name: Efrain RAMOS, Appellant, v. Carol Lynn STEVEN, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2002-05-31
Citations: 816 So. 2d 1253
Docket Number: No. 5D01-2414
Parties: Efrain RAMOS, Appellant, v. Carol Lynn STEVEN, Appellee.
Judges: GRIFFIN and PLEUS, JJ„ concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 816
Pages: 1253–1254

Head Matter:
Efrain RAMOS, Appellant, v. Carol Lynn STEVEN, Appellee.
No. 5D01-2414.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
May 31, 2002.
Efrain Ramos, Arcadia, pro se.
No Appearance for Appellee.

Opinion:
PETERSON, J.
Efrain Ramos, who is serving a life sentence in a Florida prison, appeals the denial of his request for visitation of his minor children. He initiated the action against Carol Lynn Steven, the mother of his two children. Steven opposed Ramos' request for visitation. The trial court denied Ramos' request without a hearing, opining that the childrens' visitation with Ramos in prison would be "detrimental to the children." § 61.13(2)002, Fla. Stat. (2000).
The summary disposition without a hearing deprived Ramos of basic due process. Ramos made a timely request for a telephonic appearance and is entitled to a hearing on his request for visitation. See, e.g., Mattingley v. Mattingley, 789 So.2d 1191, 1193 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001).
We vacate the order and remand to the trial court for further proceedings.
ORDER VACATED; REMANDED.
GRIFFIN and PLEUS, JJ" concur.