Florida Statutes 984.17 – Response to petition and representation of parties
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Terms Used In Florida Statutes 984.17
- Adjudicatory hearing: means a hearing for the court to determine whether or not the facts support the allegations stated in the petition as is provided for under…. See Florida Statutes 984.03
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- Child in need of services: means a child for whom there is no pending investigation into an allegation or suspicion of abuse, neglect, or abandonment; no pending referral alleging the child is delinquent; or no current supervision by the Department of Juvenile Justice or the Department of Children and Families for an adjudication of dependency or delinquency. See Florida Statutes 984.03
- Department: means the Department of Juvenile Justice. See Florida Statutes 984.03
- Disposition hearing: means a hearing in which the court determines the most appropriate dispositional services in the least restrictive available setting provided for under…. See Florida Statutes 984.03
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Parent: means a woman who gives birth to a child and a man whose consent to the adoption of the child would be required under…. See Florida Statutes 984.03
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01
(1) At the time a petition is filed, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem for the child.
(2) No answer to the petition or any other pleading need be filed by any child, parent, or legal custodian, but any matters which might be set forth in an answer or other pleading may be pleaded orally before the court or filed in writing as any such person may choose. Notwithstanding the filing of an answer or any pleading, the child or parent shall, prior to an adjudicatory hearing, be advised by the court of the right to counsel.
(3) When a petition for a child in need of services has been filed and the parents, guardian, or legal custodian of the child and the child have advised the department that the truth of the allegations is acknowledged and that no contest is to be made of the adjudication, the attorney representing the department may set the case before the court for a disposition hearing. If there is a change in the plea at this hearing, the court shall continue the hearing to permit the attorney representing the department to prepare and present the case.
(4) An attorney representing the department shall represent the state in any proceeding in which the petition alleges that a child is a child in need of services and in which a party denies the allegations of the petition and contests the adjudication.