Title: E.T. v. State Of Florida, Et Al.
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC06-1396
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: April 26, 2007

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC06-1396 
____________ 
 
E.T., 
Petitioner, 
 
vs. 
 
STATE OF FLORIDA, et al., 
Respondents. 
 
[April 26, 2007] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
We initially accepted jurisdiction to review the decision of the Fourth 
District Court of Appeal in E.T. v. State, 930 So. 2d 721 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006).  
The district court ruled upon the following question, which the court certified to be 
of great public importance: 
(1) DOES FLORIDA RECOGNIZE A CLAIM OF INEFFECTIVE 
ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL ARISING FROM A LAWYER’S 
REPRESENTATION OF A PARENT(S) IN A PROCEEDING FOR 
THE TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS? 
 
(2) IF SO, WHAT PROCEDURE MUST BE FOLLOWED TO 
PURSUE A CLAIM OF INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF 
COUNSEL? 
 
Id. at 729.  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 3(b)(4), Fla. Const. 
 
Upon further consideration, we have now determined that because the 
children have been adopted the case is moot.  Because the case is moot, we 
exercise our discretion and discharge jurisdiction.  The issue of ineffective 
assistance of counsel claims in termination of parental rights cases will be referred 
to the Juvenile Court Rules Committee and the Appellate Court Rules Committee 
for consideration of a rule to address such claims.  Accordingly, this review 
proceeding is hereby dismissed.  
 
It is so ordered.    
LEWIS, C.J., and WELLS, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, QUINCE, CANTERO, and 
BELL, JJ., concur. 
 
NO MOTION FOR REHEARING WILL BE ALLOWED. 
 
 
 
Application for Review of the Decision of the District Court of Appeal - Certified 
Great Public Importance  
 
 
Fourth District - Case No. 4D04-1450 
 
 
(Palm Beach County) 
 
Valentin Rodriguez, Jr. of Valentin Rodriguez, P.A., West Palm Beach, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
Julie H. Littky-Rubin of Lytal, Reiter, Clark, Fountain and Williams, LLP and 
Amy J. Genet of Foster Children’s Project of Legal Aid, West Palm Beach, 
Florida, on behalf of Foster Children’s Project; John J. Copelan, Jr., General 
Counsel, Gregory D. Venz, Assistant General Counsel and Jeffrey Dana Gillen, 
Senior Attorney, West Palm Beach, Florida, on behalf of Florida Department of 
Children and Family Services; and Dennis W. Moore, General Counsel and 
 
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Thomas Wade Young, Appellate Counsel, Orlando, Florida, on behalf of Statewide 
Guardian ad Litem Program, 
 
 
for Respondents 
 
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