In Re: Amendments to the Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms – 12.970(a)-(f)

CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJune 10, 2021
DocketSC21-607
StatusPublished

This text of In Re: Amendments to the Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms – 12.970(a)-(f) (In Re: Amendments to the Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms – 12.970(a)-(f)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re: Amendments to the Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms – 12.970(a)-(f), (Fla. 2021).

Opinion

Supreme Court of Florida

No. SC21-607

IN RE: AMENDMENTS TO THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT APPROVED FAMILY LAW FORMS – 12.970(a)-(f).

June 10, 2021

PER CURIAM.

Pursuant to the procedures approved in Amendments to the

Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure & Family Law Forms, 810 So.

2d 1, 13-14 (Fla. 2000), this Court has internally reviewed the

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms and has

determined that revision of six forms, 12.970(a) (Petition for

Temporary Custody by Extended Family); 12.970(b) (Petition for

Concurrent Custody by Extended Family); 12.970(c) (Waiver of

Service of Process and Consent for Temporary Custody by Extended

Family); 12.970(d) (Waiver of Service of Process and Consent for

Concurrent Custody by Extended Family); 12.970(e) (Order Granting Petition for Temporary Custody by Extended Family); and

12.970(f) (Order Granting Petition for Concurrent Custody by

Extended Family) is needed. 1 Input was received from the Advisory

Workgroup on the Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law

Forms, which provided valuable assistance.

In 2020, the Legislature amended chapter 751, Florida

Statutes, the law governing temporary and concurrent custody. See

Ch. 2020-146, Laws of Fla. Revision of the six forms relating to

temporary and concurrent custody is necessary so the forms will

accord with the provisions of chapter 751, as amended.

The forms are hereby amended as set forth in the appendix to

this opinion, fully engrossed. The amended forms shall become

effective immediately upon the release of this opinion and may be

accessed and downloaded from the Florida State Courts’ website at

https://www.flcourts.org/Resources-Services/Court-

Improvement/Family-Courts/Family-Law-Self-Help-

Information/Family-Law-Forms. By amending the forms, we

express no opinion as to their correctness or applicability. We also

1. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.

-2- direct that amended forms be published for comment. Interested

persons shall have seventy-five days from the date of this opinion to

file comments with the Court. 2

It is so ordered.

CANADY, C.J., and POLSTON, LABARGA, LAWSON, MUÑIZ, COURIEL, and GROSSHANS, JJ., concur.

THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THESE AMENDMENTS.

Original Proceeding – Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms

2. All comments must be filed with the Court on or before August 24, 2021, with 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. 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.

-3- APPENDIX

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLORIDA SUPREME COURT APPROVED FAMILY LAW FORM 12.970(a) PETITION FOR TEMPORARY CUSTODY BY EXTENDED FAMILY (06/21)

When should this form be used? This form should be used by an extended family member to obtain temporary custody of a child or children pursuant to Chapter 751, Florida Statutes. This form should not be used if you are a parent seeking to establish parental responsibility or time-sharing with a child or children.

An Extended Family Member is: A relative of a minor child within the third degree by blood or marriage to the parent; OR The stepparent of a minor child if the stepparent is currently married to the parent of the child and is not a party in a pending dissolution, separate maintenance, domestic violence, or other civil or criminal proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction involving one or both of the children’s parents as an adverse party; OR An individual who qualifies as “fictive kin.” As defined in section 39.01, Florida Statutes, fictive kin means a person unrelated by birth, marriage, or adoption who has an emotionally significant relationship, which possesses the characteristics of a family relationship, to a child.

You may file a Petition for Temporary Custody if: You have the signed, notarized consents of the children’s legal parents; OR You are an extended family member who is caring full time for the children in the role of a substitute parent and with whom the children are presently living.

If one of the minor children’s parents objects to the Petition, the court shall grant the Petition only upon a finding, by clear and convincing evidence, that the children’s parent or parents are unfit to provide for the care and control of the children. In determining that a parent is unfit, the court must find that the parent has abused, abandoned, or neglected the children, as defined in Chapter 39, Florida Statutes. If you do not have the parents’ consents, you should consult a family law attorney before you file your papers.

If you do not meet the qualifications above, you should talk to an attorney about other options. You may also report any suspected abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the appropriate authorities.

This form should be typed or printed in black ink. After completing this form, you should sign the form before a notary public or deputy clerk. You should file the original with the clerk of the circuit court in the county where you live and keep a copy for your records.

Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.970(a), Petition for Temporary Custody by Extended Family (06/21) -4- IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-FILING

The Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration now require that all petitions, pleadings, and documents be filed electronically except in certain circumstances. Self-represented litigants may file petitions or other pleadings or documents electronically; however, they are not required to do so. If you choose to file your pleadings or other documents electronically, you must do so in accordance with Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.525, and you must follow the procedures of the judicial circuit in which you file. The rules and procedures should be carefully read and followed.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-SERVICE ELECTION

After the initial service of process of the petition or supplemental petition by the Sheriff or certified process server, the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration now require that all documents required or permitted to be served on the other party must be served by electronic mail (e- mail) except in certain circumstances. You must strictly comply with the format requirements set forth in the Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration. If you elect to participate in electronic service, which means serving or receiving pleadings by electronic mail (e-mail), or through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, you must review Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516.

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In Re: Amendments to the Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Forms – 12.970(a)-(f), Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-amendments-to-the-florida-supreme-court-approved-family-law-forms-fla-2021.