Florida Statutes § 984.04 — Early truancy intervention; families in need of services and children in need of services; procedures and jurisdiction.
AI-assisted research summary: The department handles nonjudicial voluntary family services for families in need of services, and the circuit court has exclusive jurisdiction over early truancy and child-in-need-of-services proceedings.
984.04 Early truancy intervention; families in need of services and children in need of services; procedures and jurisdiction.—(1) The department shall be responsible for all nonjudicial proceedings involving voluntary family services for a family identified as a family in need of services according to rules established by the department under chapter 120. (2) The circuit court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of judicial proceedings involving early truancy intervention. When the jurisdiction of any child found to be truant under s. 984.151 is obtained, the court may retain jurisdiction for up to 180 days. The court must terminate supervision and relinquish jurisdiction if the child has substantially complied with the requirements of early truancy intervention, is no longer subject to compulsory education, or is adjudicated a child in need of services under s. 984.21. (3) The circuit court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of proceedings in which a child is alleged to be a child in need of services. When the jurisdiction of any child who has been found to be a child in need of services or the parent, custodian, or legal guardian of such a child is obtained, the court shall retain jurisdiction, unless relinquished by its order or unless the department withdraws its petition because the child no longer meets the definition of a child in need of services as defined in s. 984.03, until the child reaches 18 years of age. This subsection does not prevent the exercise of jurisdiction by any other court having jurisdiction of the child. (4) Jurisdiction of the circuit court shall attach to the case and parties to proceedings filed under s. 984.15 or under s. 984.151 when the summons is served upon the child and a parent, legal guardian, or custodian, or when the parties personally appear before the court. (5) All procedures, including petitions, pleadings, subpoenas, summonses, and hearings, in proceedings under this chapter shall be according to the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure unless otherwise provided by law.