Florida § 984.16 Process and service for child in need of services petitions

Florida Statutes

§ 984.16 — Process and service for child in need of services petitions

Florida § 984.16

TitleXLVII

Ch. 984CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NEED OF SERVICES;PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION FOR SCHOOL TRUANCYAND UNGOVERNABLE AND RUNAWAY CHILDREN

This text of Florida § 984.16 (Process and service for child in need of services petitions) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Fla. Stat. § 984.16 (2026).

Text

(1)Personal appearance of any person in a hearing before the court shall obviate the necessity of serving process on that person.

(2)Upon the filing of a petition containing allegations of facts which, if true, would constitute the child therein being named a child in need of services, and upon the request of the petitioner, the clerk or deputy clerk shall issue a summons.

(3)The summons shall require the person on whom it is served to appear for a hearing at a time, place, and manner specified. The summons must require the custodian to bring the child to court. A copy of the petition shall be attached to the summons.

(4)The summons shall be directed to, and shall be served upon, the following persons:

(a)The parents.

(b)The legal custodian, actual custodian, and guardian ad litem

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(1) Personal appearance of any person in a hearing before the court shall obviate the necessity of serving process on that person.

(2) Upon the filing of a petition containing allegations of facts which, if true, would constitute the child therein being named a child in need of services, and upon the request of the petitioner, the clerk or deputy clerk shall issue a summons.

(3) The summons shall require the person on whom it is served to appear for a hearing at a time, place, and manner specified. The summons must require the custodian to bring the child to court. A copy of the petition shall be attached to the summons.

(4) The summons shall be directed to, and shall be served upon, the following persons: (a) The parents. (b) The legal custodian, actual custodian, and guardian ad litem. (c) The child.

(5) The jurisdiction of the court shall attach to the child and the parent, legal guardian, or custodian of the child and the case when the summons is served upon the child or a parent, legal guardian, or custodian of the child; when the child is taken into custody with or without service of summons and after filing of a petition for a child in need of services; or when a party personally appears before the court, whichever occurs first, and thereafter the court may control the child and case in accordance with this chapter.

(6) Upon the application of a party or the petitioner, the clerk or deputy clerk shall issue, and the court on its own motion may issue, subpoenas requiring attendance and testimony of witnesses and production of records, documents, or other tangible objects at any hearing.

(7) All process and orders issued by the court shall be served or executed as other process and orders of the circuit court and, in addition, may be served or executed by authorized agents of the department.

(8) Subpoenas may be served within the state by any person over 18 years of age who is not a party to the proceeding.

(9) No fee shall be paid for service of any process or other papers by an agent of the department. If any process, orders, or other papers are served or executed by any sheriff, the sheriff’s fees shall be paid by the county.

(10) If the party to whom an order is directed is present or represented at the final hearing, service of such order shall not be required.

(11) If a court takes action that directly involves a student’s school, including, but not limited to, an order that a student attend school, attend school with his or her parent, requiring the parent to participate in meetings, including parent-teacher conferences, Section 504 plan meetings or individualized education plan meetings to address the student’s disability, the office of the clerk of the court shall provide notice to the school of the court’s order.