The Juvenile Court Division of the Circuit Court of your county primarily handles two different types of cases. One is called delinquency cases. These relate to minors who allegedly commit criminal acts. More information about delinquency cases can be found in the Section under the "Criminal Law" heading.
The second area of cases handled by the Juvenile Courts are called dependency cases. These cases do not involve any criminal activity by youth. They are cases designed to allow individuals and the government an opportunity to protect children who are suffering from neglectful or abusive parents.
The State hires attorneys to represent its interest in Juvenile Court on dependency cases. These trained attorneys practice every day before the Juvenile Court Judges and present the cases of alleged abuse which come across their docket. If you do not have your own attorney, you will be going against trained and experienced juvenile court lawyers. If you cannot afford an attorney and you otherwise qualify under Florida law, you may be appointed a public defender to represent your interest. If you and the other parent both desire attorneys, the Public Defender's Office usually will not represent both of you because your interests may differ. You may wish to obtain a private attorney to represent one of the parents, or you may request the court to appoint a private attorney who is not affiliated with the Public Defender's Office if the other parent is represented by that office.
Parental rights are deeply embedded in both our society and our law. It is always agonizing when a court must decide to restrict parental rights or even terminate parental rights. The Juvenile Court has the authority to place your child with other relatives or even in foster homes. Because of the importance we all attach to our rights and privileges as parents, it is recommended that you consult with an experienced attorney before appearing in Juvenile Court.
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Winter Park, Florida 32789
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