P.C., THE FATHER, APPELLANT,
v.
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND GUARDIAN AD LITEM, APPELLEES

Fla. 4th DCA | 2015-02-11
No. 4D14-2803
Warner, J., Ciklin, J., Gerber, J.
155 So. 3d 1279 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District (2015) Positive Treatment
Cited by 2 cases

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Synopsis

The Fourth District affirmed termination of parental rights under Florida Statutes sections 39.806(1)(c) and 39.806(1)(e)1, but reversed the trial court's reliance on section 39.806(1)(b) for lack of competent, substantial evidence.


Holding

Termination of parental rights is affirmed where competent, substantial evidence supports grounds under sections 39.806(1)(c) and 39.806(1)(e)1, but the trial court must amend its judgment to remove reliance on section 39.806(1)(b).


Headnotes

[1] Termination of parental rights under Florida Statutes section 39.806(1)(b) requires competent, substantial evidence and cannot be affirmed where such evidence is lacking,…

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Facts & Procedural History

A father challenged the circuit court's termination of his parental rights to his son on three grounds: lack of competent, substantial evidence for th…

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

The father argues that the circuit court erred in terminating his parental rights to his son: (1) without competent, substantial evidence of the grounds alleged by the Department of Children and Families under sections 39.806(l)(c), 39.806(l)(e)l., and 39.806(l)(b), Florida Statutes (2012); (2) without making statutorily-required findings of fact and conclusions of law; and (3) because termination of his parental rights was not the least restrictive means to protect his son from harm.

We affirm as to the second and third arguments without discussion. On the first argument, we conclude that competent, substantial evidence did not support the grounds alleged under section 39.806(l)(b). However, we conclude that competent, substantial evidence supported the grounds alleged under sections 39.806(l)(c) and 39.806(l)(e)l., and that such evidence was sufficient to support the termination of parental rights.

Therefore, we affirm the termination of parental rights, but with instructions to the circuit court to amend the final judgment to indicate in its conclusions of law that the termination was based on the grounds alleged under sections 39.806(l)(c) and 39.806(l)(e)l., and not on the grounds alleged under section 39.806(l)(b).

Affirmed with instructions.

WARNER, CIKLIN and GERBER, JJ„ concur.


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