K.H., FATHER OF H.H., H.H., MINOR CHILDREN
v.
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Fla. 1st DCA | 2026-06-04
No. 2025-1718
Register, J., Roberts, J., Nordby, J., Neff, J.
2026 FL 6743 Florida District Court of Appeal, First District (2026)

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Holding

Parental rights may be terminated when the Department presents clear and convincing evidence of a statutory ground for termination and clear and convincing evidence that termination is in the best interests of the child.


Headnotes

[1] Parental rights may be terminated pursuant to section 39.806(1)(e) when a parent fails to comply substantially with a case plan for a period of 12 months after a child is…

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Key Quotes

“We are obliged to affirm the termination of parental rights if [the Department] has met its burden to present clear and convincing evidence of a statutory ground for terminating parental rights, along with clear and convincing evidence that terminating parental rights is in the best interests of the child.”

Standard for reviewing termination of parental rights decisions

Facts & Procedural History

K.H., the father of minor children H.H., appealed a circuit court judgment terminating his parental rights. The Department of Children and Families so…

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Opinion of the Court

FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL

STATE OF FLORIDA

No. 1D2025-1718

K. H., FATHER OF H.H., H.H.,

MINOR CHILDREN, Appellant,

v.

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND

FAMILIES, Appellee.

On appeal from the Circuit Court for Washington County. Timothy Allen Register, Judge.

June 4, 2026

PER CURIAM.

Given our review of the record and the arguments of the Appellant and counsel, we find that Appellant has not demonstrated a basis on which to overturn the lower court's final judgment. N.L. v. Dep't of Children & Family Services, 843 So. 2d 996, 999 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003) (“We are obliged to affirm the termination of parental rights if [the Department] has met its burden to present clear and convincing evidence of a statutory ground for terminating parental rights, along with clear and convincing evidence that terminating parental rights is in the best interests of the child."). As such, we affirm. See Fla. R. Juv. P. 8.265(b) & 8.270(b); see also In re T.D., 924 So. 2d 827, 831 (Fla. 2d

DCA 2005) (“Neither B.T., nor any of the other post-Berg- Perlow decisions of this court, requires reversal solely on the ground that a trial court has adopted a judgment prepared by one of the parties.”); M.S. v. Dep't of Children & Families, 765 So. 2d 152, 153 (Fla. 1st DCA 2000) (“It is undisputed that parental rights may be terminated pursuant to section 39.806(1)(e) if a parent fails to comply substantially with a case plan for a period of 12 months after a child is adjudicated dependent.").

ROBERTS, NORDBY, and NEFF, JJ., concur.


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