Case Name: In the Interest of S.M. and G.M., children. J.M. and D.B., Petitioners, v. Department of Children and Family Services, and Guardian Ad Litem Program, Respondents
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2014-04-23
Citations: 136 So. 3d 1271
Docket Number: No. 2D13-5345
Parties: In the Interest of S.M. and G.M., children. J.M. and D.B., Petitioners, v. Department of Children and Family Services, and Guardian Ad Litem Program, Respondents.
Judges: DAVIS, C.J., and CRENSHAW, J., Concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Third Series
Volume: 136
Pages: 1271–1271

Head Matter:
In the Interest of S.M. and G.M., children. J.M. and D.B., Petitioners, v. Department of Children and Family Services, and Guardian Ad Litem Program, Respondents.
No. 2D13-5345.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
April 23, 2014.
Ama N. Appiah of Law Office of Ama N. Appiah, St. Petersburg, for Petitioners.
Jennifer S. Paullin, Sanford, for Respondent Guardian ad Litem Program.
No appearance for Respondent Department of Children and Family Services.

Opinion:
BLACK, Judge.
J.M., the Father, and D.B., the Mother, petitioned this court for a writ of certiorari to quash the disposition order that accepted the case plan requiring each to submit to a psychiatric evaluation and a substance abuse evaluation. The trial court departed from the essential requirements of the law because nothing in the record indicates that a substance abuse evaluation is relevant to the dependency or that it would meaningfully address the facts and circumstances which resulted in the children's removal from the home. See, e.g., § 39.6011(2)(a), .6012(l)(a), .603(l)(f), Fla. Stat. (2013); C.T. v. Dep't of Children & Family Servs., 84 So.3d 1231 (Fla. 2d DCA 2012). As such, we grant the petition for writ of certiorari in part, quashing the disposition order to the extent that it requires the Father and the Mother to submit to substance abuse evaluations as part of the case plan. We note that the case plan may of course be amended pursuant to section 39.6013 and Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.420 should the need arise.
Petition granted in part; order quashed in part.
DAVIS, C.J., and CRENSHAW, J., Concur.
. Since the Father and the Mother did not object to the psychiatric evaluations at the hearing, this issue has not been preserved. We also note that after the petition was filed, the Father and the Mother underwent psychiatric evaluations.