Florida Statutes 63.052 – Guardians designated; proof of commitment
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Terms Used In Florida Statutes 63.052
- Adoption: means the act of creating the legal relationship between parent and child where it did not exist, thereby declaring the child to be legally the child of the adoptive parents and their heir at law and entitled to all the rights and privileges and subject to all the obligations of a child born to such adoptive parents in lawful wedlock. See Florida Statutes 63.032
- Adoption entity: means the department, a child-caring agency registered under…. See Florida Statutes 63.032
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- Child: means any unmarried person under the age of 18 years who has not been emancipated by court order. See Florida Statutes 63.032
- Court: means a circuit court of this state and, if the context requires, the court of any state that is empowered to grant petitions for adoption. See Florida Statutes 63.032
- Department: means the Department of Children and Families. See Florida Statutes 63.032
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Intermediary: means an attorney who is licensed or authorized to practice in this state and who is placing or intends to place a child for adoption, including placing children born in another state with citizens of this state or country or placing children born in this state with citizens of another state or country. See Florida Statutes 63.032
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- minor: includes any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Parent: means a woman who gives birth to a child and who is not a gestational surrogate as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 63.032
- Person: includes a natural person, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, or association, and any other legal entity. See Florida Statutes 63.032
- Placement: means the process of a parent or legal guardian surrendering a child for adoption and the prospective adoptive parents receiving and adopting the child and all actions by any adoption entity participating in placing the child. See Florida Statutes 63.032
- Relative: means a person related by blood to the person being adopted within the third degree of consanguinity. See Florida Statutes 63.032
(1) For minors who have been placed for adoption with an adoption entity, other than an intermediary, such adoption entity shall be the guardian of the person of the minor and has the responsibility and authority to provide for the needs and welfare of the minor.
(2) For minors who have been voluntarily surrendered to an intermediary through an execution of a consent to adoption, the intermediary shall be responsible for the minor until the time a court orders preliminary approval of placement of the minor in the prospective adoptive home, after which time the prospective adoptive parents shall become guardians pending finalization of adoption, subject to the intermediary’s right and responsibility to remove the child from the prospective adoptive home if the removal is deemed by the intermediary to be in the best interests of the child. The intermediary may not remove the child without a court order unless the child is in danger of imminent harm. The intermediary does not become responsible for the minor child’s medical bills that were incurred before taking physical custody of the child after the execution of adoption consents. Prior to the court’s entry of an order granting preliminary approval of the placement, the intermediary shall have the responsibility and authority to provide for the needs and welfare of the minor. A minor may not be placed in a prospective adoptive home until that home has received a favorable preliminary home study, as provided in s. 63.092, completed and approved within 1 year before such placement in the prospective home. The provisions of s. 627.6578 shall remain in effect notwithstanding the guardianship provisions in this section.
(3) If a minor is surrendered to an adoption entity for subsequent adoption and a suitable prospective adoptive home is not available pursuant to s. 63.092 at the time the minor is surrendered to the adoption entity, the minor must be placed in a licensed foster care home, with a person or family that has received a favorable preliminary home study pursuant to subsection (2), or with a relative until a suitable prospective adoptive home is available.
(4) If a minor is voluntarily surrendered to an adoption entity for subsequent adoption and the adoption does not become final within 180 days after termination of parental rights, the adoption entity must report to the court on the status of the minor and the court may at that time proceed under s. 39.701 or take action reasonably necessary to protect the best interest of the minor.
(5) The recital in a written consent, answer, or recommendation filed by an adoption entity that the minor has been permanently committed to the adoption entity or that the adoption entity is duly licensed shall be prima facie proof of such commitment. A consent for adoption signed by an adoption entity need not comply with s. 63.082.
(6) Unless otherwise authorized by law or ordered by the court, the department is not responsible for expenses incurred by other adoption entities participating in a placement of a minor.
(7) The court retains jurisdiction of a minor who has been placed for adoption until the adoption is final. After a minor is placed with an adoption entity or prospective adoptive parent, the court may review the status of the minor and the progress toward permanent adoptive placement.