Opinion ID: 1817835
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the state as parens patriae

Text: The father, relying on the Fourth District decision, recognizes parents' broad authority over their children but asserts that the State has greater authority as parens patriae to rule the arbitration agreement in this case unenforceable because it is contrary to public policy. Parens patriae, which is Latin for parent of his or her country, describes the state in its capacity as provider of protection to those unable to care for themselves. Black's Law Dictionary 1144 (8th ed.2004). The doctrine derives from the common-law concept of royal prerogative, recognized by American courts in the form of legislative prerogative. See Alfred L. Snapp & Son, Inc. v. Puerto Rico ex rel. Barez, 458 U.S. 592, 600, 102 S.Ct. 3260, 73 L.Ed.2d 995 (1982). The United States Supreme Court, upholding a state child labor law in Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158, 64 S.Ct. 438, 88 L.Ed. 645 (1944), recognized the parens patriae power when it stated that although the custody, care, and nurture of the child reside first in the parents, . . . the state as parens patriae may restrict the parent's control by requiring school attendance, regulating or prohibiting the child's labor and in many other ways. Id. at 166, 64 S.Ct. 438 (footnotes omitted). In decisions over the past three decades, this Court has expressly relied on the state's parens patriae authority to protect children in two areas: (1) juvenile delinquency and dependency, see P.W.G. v. State, 702 So.2d 488, 491 (Fla.1997); State v. D.H., 340 So.2d 1163, 1166 (Fla.1976); In re Camm, 294 So.2d 318, 320 (Fla.1974); and (2) child custody and support. See Schutz v. Schutz, 581 So.2d 1290, 1293 (Fla.1991); Lamm v. Chapman, 413 So.2d 749, 753 (Fla.1982); Kern v. Kern, 333 So.2d 17, 19 (Fla.1976). Pervasive statutory schemes cover each of these areas. See generally ch. 39, Fla. Stat. (2004) (Proceedings Relating to Children); ch. 61, Fla. Stat. (2004) (Dissolution of Marriage; Support; Custody); ch. 984, Fla. Stat. (2004) (Children and Families in Need of Services); ch. 985, Fla. Stat. (2004) (Delinquency; Interstate Compact on Juveniles). Although there is no statutory prohibition on agreements to arbitrate minors' tort claims, the Fourth District deemed statutes governing settlement of minors' civil claims to be analogous to a pre-injury arbitration agreement. Under section 744.301(2), Florida Statutes (2004), parents, acting as the natural guardians of their minor children, [6] may settle their children's claims for amounts up to $15,000. A net settlement greater than $15,000 on behalf of a minor requires establishment of a legal guardianship. See § 744.387(2), Fla. Stat. (2004). If a legal guardian and a minor have potentially adverse interests, or if otherwise necessary, the trial court may, for a settlement greater than $15,000, and must, for a settlement greater than $25,000, appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the minor's interests. See § 744.301(4)(a); Fla. Stat. (2004). A presuit settlement on behalf of a minor requires court authorization, which may be given if the court determines that the settlement is in the minor's best interest. See § 744.387(1), Fla. Stat. (2004). Settlement of a pending claim also requires court approval. See § 744.387(3)(a), Fla. Stat. (2004). There is no comparable statutory scheme governing pre-injury liability releases and arbitration agreementsthose executed before any cause of action accruesand no statute requiring a parent to obtain court approval before agreeing to arbitrate a claim once it has been filed. Thus, with the exception of disputes involving child custody, visitation, or child support, See § 44.104(14), Fla. Stat. (2004), the Legislature has not precluded voluntary binding arbitration of claims involving children.