Title: In Re: Amendments to the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure - 2018 Fast-Track Report
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC18-1047
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: July 19, 2018

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC18-1047 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE:  AMENDMENTS TO THE FLORIDA RULES OF JUVENILE 
PROCEDURE - 2018 FAST-TRACK REPORT. 
 
[July 19, 2018] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
The Florida Bar’s Juvenile Court Rules Committee (Committee) has filed a 
“fast-track” out-of-cycle report proposing amendments to the Florida Rules of 
Juvenile Procedure in response to recent legislation.  See Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 
2.140(e)(1).  We have jurisdiction1 and adopt the amendments as proposed.  
The Committee proposes amendments to rules 8.305 (Shelter Petition, 
Hearing, and Order), 8.340 (Disposition Hearings), 8.400 (Case Plan 
Development), 8.415 (Judicial Review of Dependency Cases), 8.420 (Case Plan 
Amendments), and 8.425 (Permanency Hearings).  The amendments implement 
                                          
 
 
1.  Art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.   
 
 
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changes to chapter 39, Florida Statutes (2017), made by chapters 2018-45, 2018-
103, and 2018-108, Laws of Florida, which became effective July 1, 2018.2   
The Executive Committee of the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar 
unanimously approved the Committee’s proposals.  The Committee did not publish 
the proposals before filing them with the Court. 
After considering the proposed amendments and reviewing the relevant 
legislation, we amend the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure as proposed by the 
Committee.  The more significant amendments are discussed below.   
Subdivision (b)(12) of rule 8.305 (Shelter Petition, Hearing, and Order) is 
amended to add the child’s child care records and early education program records 
to the list of records that the court, at the shelter hearing, must request the parents 
to consent to provide access to.  See ch. 2018-108, § 2, Laws of Fla. (amending 
39.402(11)(c), Fla. Stat. (2017)).  The amendment to subdivision (c)(9) of rule 
8.340 (Disposition Hearings) requires the disposition order to include requirements 
to preserve the stability of the child’s child care, early education program, or any 
other educational placement.  See id.   
                                          
 
 
2.  See ch. 2018-45, §§ 1-2, Laws of Fla. (creating § 39.6021(1), (5), Fla. 
Stat. effective July 1, 2018); ch. 2018-103, §§ 7-8, 9, 12, 33, Laws of Fla. 
(amending §§ 39.6013, 39.621(5), 39.6221(1), 39.701(2)(d), Fla. Stat. (2017) 
effective July 1, 2018); ch. 2018-108, §§ 2, 7, Laws of Fla. (amending § 
39.402(11)(c), Fla. Stat. (2017) effective July 1, 2018). 
 
 
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New subdivision (b)(6) is added to rule 8.400 (Case Plan Development) to 
require that if the parent is incarcerated, the case plan contain the list of services 
available to the parent at the facility.  See ch. 2018-45, § 1, Laws of Fla. (creating § 
39.6021(1), Fla. Stat.).  
Two sentences are added to subdivision (i)(1) of rule 8.415 (Judicial Review 
of Dependency Cases) that require the court to consider, at the judicial review 
hearing, “the level of the parent or legal custodian’s compliance with the case plan 
and demonstrated change in protective capacities compared to that necessary to 
achieve timely reunification within 12 months after the removal of the child from 
the home” and “the frequency, duration, manner, and level of engagement of the 
parent or legal custodian’s visitation with the child in compliance with the case 
plan.”  See ch. 2018-103, § 12, Laws of Fla. (amending § 39.701(2)(d)(5), Fla. 
Stat. (2017)). 
A new paragraph is added at the end of subdivision (a) of rule 8.420 (Case 
Plan Amendments) to address the factors the court must consider in amending the 
case plan.  See ch. 2018-103, § 7, Laws of Fla. (adding subsection (6) to § 39.6013, 
Fla. Stat. (2017)).  New subdivision (b)(6) is added to rule 8.420 to address case 
plan modification when the parent is incarcerated after a case plan has been 
developed.  See ch. 2018-45, § 1, Laws of Fla. (creating section 39.6021(5), Fla. 
Stat.). 
 
 
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New subdivision (b)(1)(D) is added to rule 8.425 (Permanency Hearings) to 
require the court, at the permanency hearing, to consider whether the frequency, 
duration, manner, and level of engagement of the parent or legal guardian’s 
visitation with the child meets the requirements of the case plan.  See ch. 2018-103, 
§ 8, Laws of Fla. (adding paragraph (d) to § 39.621(5), Fla. Stat. (2017)).  Finally, 
new subdivision (d)(5)(F) is added to rule 8.425 to require the permanent 
guardianship order to state whether the child demonstrates a strong attachment to 
the prospective permanent guardian and whether the prospective permanent 
guardian demonstrates a strong commitment to permanently caring for the child.  
See ch. 2018-103, § 9 (adding paragraph (f) to § 39.6221(1), Fla. Stat. (2017)).   
Accordingly, the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure are 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 take effect immediately upon the release of this opinion.  Because the 
amendments were not published for comment prior to their adoption, interested 
persons shall have sixty days from the date of this opinion in which to file 
comments with the Court.3 
                                          
 
3.  All comments must be filed with the Court on or before September 17, 
2018, with a certificate of service verifying that a copy has been served on the 
Committee Chair, David Neal Silverstein, 1301 6th Avenue W., Suite 101, 
Bradenton, Florida 34205-7403, david.silverstein@myflfamilies.com, and on the 
Bar Staff Liaison to the Committee, Mikalla Andies Davis, 651 E. Jefferson Street, 
 
 
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It is so ordered. 
CANADY, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, POLSTON, LABARGA, 
and LAWSON, 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 
 
David Neal Silverstein, Chair, Bradenton, Florida, and Kara Ann Fenlon, Past 
Chair, Juvenile Court Rules Committee, Tallahassee, Florida; and Joshua E. Doyle, 
Executive Director, and Mikalla Andies Davis, Staff Liaison, The Florida Bar, 
Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
                                                                                                                                        
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2300, mdavis@floridabar.org, as well as a separate 
request for oral argument if the person filing the comment wishes to participate in 
oral argument, which may be scheduled in this case.  The Committee Chair has 
until October 8, 2018, to file a response to any comments filed with the Court.  If 
filed by an attorney in good standing with The Florida Bar, the comment must be 
electronically filed via the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (Portal) in accordance 
with In re Electronic Filing in the Supreme Court of Florida via the Florida 
Courts E-Filing Portal, Fla. Admin. Order No. AOSC13-7 (Feb. 18, 2013).  If 
filed by a nonlawyer or a lawyer not licensed to practice in Florida, the comment 
may be, but is not required to be, filed via the Portal.  Comments filed via the 
Portal must be submitted in Microsoft Word 97 or higher.  See In re Electronic 
Filing in the Florida Supreme Court, Fla. Admin. Order No. AOSC17-27 (May 9, 
2017).  Any person unable to submit a comment electronically must mail or hand-
deliver the originally signed comment to the Florida Supreme Court, Office of the 
Clerk, 500 South Duval Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1927; no additional 
copies are required or will be accepted. 
 
 
 
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APPENDIX 
 
RULE 8.305. 
SHELTER PETITION, HEARING, AND ORDER 
(a) 
[No Change] 
(b) 
Shelter Hearing. 
(1) – (11) 
[No Change] 
(12) The court must request that the parents consent to provide 
access to the child’s medical records and to the child’s child care records, early 
education program records, or other educational records and provide information to 
the court, the department, or its contract agencies, and any guardian ad litem or 
attorney for the child. If a parent is unavailable, is unable to consent, or withholds 
consent and the court determines access to the records and information is necessary 
to provide services for the child, the court shall issue an order granting access.  
(13) – (15) [No Change] 
(c) – (d) 
[No Change]  
 
RULE 8.340. 
DISPOSITION HEARINGS 
(a) – (b) 
[No Change] 
(c) 
Orders of Disposition. The court shall in its written order of 
disposition include: 
(1) – (8) 
[No Change] 
(9) 
such other requirements to protect the health, safety, and well-
being of the child, to preserve the stability of the child’s child care, early education 
program, or any other educational placement, and to promote family preservation 
or reunification whenever possible; and 
 
 
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(10) [No Change] 
Committee Notes 
[No Change] 
  
RULE 8.400. 
CASE PLAN DEVELOPMENT 
(a) 
[No Change]  
(b) 
Contents. The case plan must be written simply and clearly in English 
and the principal language of the parents, if possible. Each case plan must contain:  
(1) – (3) 
[No Change] 
(4) 
the date the compliance period expires; and 
(5) 
a written notice to the parent that failure of the parent to 
substantially comply with the case plan may result in the termination of parental 
rights, and that a material breach of the case plan may result in the filing of a 
petition for termination of parental rights sooner than the expiration of the 
compliance period.; and 
(6) 
if the parent is incarcerated, the list of services available at the 
facility.  
(c) – (f) 
[No Change] 
 
RULE 8.415. 
JUDICIAL REVIEW OF DEPENDENCY CASES 
(a) – (h) 
[No Change] 
(i) 
Concurrent Planning. 
(1) 
At the initial judicial review hearing, the court must make 
findings regarding the likelihood of the child’s reunification with the parent or 
legal custodian within 12 months after the removal of the child from the home. In 
making such findings, the court shall consider the level of the parent or legal 
custodian’s compliance with the case plan and demonstrated change in protective 
 
 
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capacities compared to that necessary to achieve timely reunification within 12 
months after the removal of the child from the home. The court shall also consider 
the frequency, duration, manner, and level of engagement of the parent or legal 
custodian’s visitation with the child in compliance with the case plan. 
(2) – (4) 
[No Change] 
Committee Notes 
[No Change] 
 
RULE 8.420. 
CASE PLAN AMENDMENTS 
(a) 
Modifications. After the case plan has been developed, the tasks and 
services agreed upon in the plan may not be changed or altered except as follows. 
(1) – (5) 
[No Change] 
When determining whether to amend the case plan, the court must 
consider the length of time the case has been open, the level of parental 
engagement to date, the number of case plan tasks completed, the child’s type of 
placement and attachment, and the potential for successful reunification. 
(b) 
Basis to Amend the Case Plan. The need to amend the case plan may 
be based on information discovered or circumstances arising after the approval of 
the case plan for: 
(1) – (3) 
[No Change] 
(4) 
an error or oversight in the case plan; or 
(5) 
information discovered or circumstances arising after the 
approval of the plan regarding the provision of safe and proper care for the child.; 
or 
(6) 
incarceration of a parent after a case plan has been developed if 
the parent’s incarceration has an impact on permanency for the child, including, 
but not limited to: 
 
 
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(A) 
modification of provisions regarding visitation and 
contact with the child; 
(B) 
identification of services within the facility; or 
(C) 
changing the permanency goal or establishing a 
concurrent case plan goal. 
(c) 
[No Change] 
 
RULE 8.425. 
PERMANENCY HEARINGS 
(a) 
[No Change]  
(b) 
Determinations at Hearing. 
(1) 
The court shall determine: 
(A) 
[No Change] 
(B) 
when the child will achieve one of the permanency goals; 
and 
(C) 
whether the department has made reasonable efforts to 
finalize the permanency plan currently in effect.; and 
(D) 
whether the frequency, duration, manner, and level of 
engagement of the parent or legal guardian’s visitation with the child meets the 
case plan requirements. 
(2) – (4) 
[No Change] 
(c) 
[No Change] 
(d) 
Permanency Order. 
(1) – (4) 
[No Change] 
(5) 
If the court establishes a permanent guardianship for the child, 
the court’s written order shall: 
 
 
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(A) – (C) 
[No Change] 
(D) 
specify the frequency and nature of visitation or contact 
between the child and his or her parents, siblings, and grandparents; and 
(E) 
require that the permanent guardian not return the child 
to the physical care and custody of the person from whom the child was removed 
without the approval of the court.; and 
(F) 
state whether the child demonstrates a strong attachment 
to the prospective permanent guardian and such guardian has a strong commitment 
to permanently caring for the child. 
(6) 
[No Change]  
(7) 
If the court permanently places a child with a fit and willing 
relative, the court’s written order shall: 
(A) – (D) 
[No Change] 
(8) 
[No Change] 
(e) – (f) 
[No Change]