Florida Statutes 985.039 – Cost of supervision; cost of care
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(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) or subsection (4):
(a) When any child is placed into supervised release detention, probation, or other supervision status with the department, or is committed to the minimum-risk nonresidential restrictiveness level, the court shall order the parent of such child to pay to the department a fee for the cost of the supervision of such child in the amount of $1 per day for each day that the child is in such status.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 985.039
- Court: means the circuit court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under this chapter, unless otherwise expressly stated. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- delinquent act: means a violation of any law of this state, the United States, or any other state which is a misdemeanor or a felony or a violation of a county or municipal ordinance which would be punishable by incarceration if the violation were committed by an adult. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- Department: means the Department of Juvenile Justice. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- Disposition hearing: means a hearing in which the court determines the most appropriate dispositional services in the least restrictive available setting provided for under part VII, in delinquency cases. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- Judge: means the circuit judge exercising jurisdiction pursuant to this chapter. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- 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.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Parent: means a woman who gives birth to a child and a man whose consent to the adoption of the child would be required under…. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Restrictiveness level: means the level of programming and security provided by programs that service the supervision, custody, care, and treatment needs of committed children. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- Secure detention: means temporary custody of the child while the child is under the physical restriction of a secure detention center or facility pending adjudication, disposition, or placement. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- Supervised release detention: means temporary, nonsecure custody of the child while the child is released to the custody of the parent, guardian, or custodian in a physically nonrestrictive environment under the supervision of the department staff pending adjudication or disposition, through programs that include, but are not limited to, electronic monitoring, day reporting centers, and nonsecure shelters. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- Temporary legal custody: means the relationship that a juvenile court creates between a child and an adult relative of the child, adult nonrelative approved by the court, or other person until a more permanent arrangement is ordered. See Florida Statutes 985.03
- writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01
(b) When any child is placed into secure detention or placed on committed status and the temporary legal custody of such child is placed with the department, the court shall order the parent of such child to pay to the department a fee for the cost of the care of such child in the amount of $5 per day for each day that the child is in the temporary legal custody of the department.
(2) The parent of any child who has been placed under the supervision or care of the department shall provide to the department his or her name, address, social security number, date of birth, driver license number or identification card number, and sufficient financial information so as to assist the court in determining the parent’s ability to pay any fee associated with the cost of the child’s supervision or care. If the parent refuses to provide the department with the information required by this subsection, the court shall order the parent to provide such information. The failure of the parent to comply with such order of the court constitutes contempt of court, and the court may punish the parent accordingly.
(3) At the time of any detention or disposition hearing, the court shall receive the information described in subsection (2), as well as any other verbal or written information offered as to the ability of the parent of a child who is being placed under the supervision or care of the department to pay any fee imposed pursuant to this section and whether the payment of such fee will create a significant financial hardship. The court may apportion the obligation for the fee to each parent in a manner it deems appropriate; however, the total amount of the daily fee may not exceed the amounts specified in this section. Any finding made by the court as to the ability of the parent to pay such fee, including any finding of indigency or significant financial hardship, shall be in writing and shall contain a detailed description of the facts supporting such finding. If the court makes a finding of indigency and significant financial hardship, the court shall waive the fee or reduce it to an amount deemed appropriate.
(4) Notwithstanding subsection (3), the court may reduce or waive the fee as to each parent if the court makes a finding on the record that the parent was the victim of the delinquent act or violation of law for which the child has been placed under the supervision or care of the department and that the parent is cooperating or has cooperated with the investigation of the offense.
(5) The court shall order the payment of any fees required in this section as part of the detention or disposition order. Such order must include specific written findings as to what fees are ordered, reduced, or waived. If the court fails to enter an order as required by this section, the parent is deemed to have an obligation to pay to the department a fee in the amount of $1 per day for each day that the child is under the supervision of the department and $5 per day for each day that the child remains in the care of the department.
(6) Notwithstanding subsection (1), with respect to a child who reaches the age of 18 prior to the detention or disposition hearing, the court may elect to direct an order required by this section to such child, rather than to the child’s parent. With regard to a child who reaches 18 while under the supervision or care of the department, the court may, upon proper motion of any party, hold a hearing as to whether any party should be further obligated to pay any fee associated with cost of the supervision or care of such child. If the court does not enter an order under this subsection, it shall be presumed that the court intended for the parent to pay or to continue to pay the fees specified in this section. Any order entered pursuant to this subsection must include specific findings as to what fees are ordered, reduced, or waived as to the child.
(7) With respect to a child who has been placed under the supervision or care of the department and whose parent receives public assistance for any portion of such child’s care, the department must seek a federal waiver to garnish or otherwise order the payment of a portion of the public assistance relating to such child, in an amount not to exceed the amount of the parent’s obligation, in order to offset the costs to the department associated with providing supervision or care of such child.
(8) If any order entered pursuant to this section affects the guardianship of an estate, a certified copy of such order shall be delivered to the judge having jurisdiction over the guardianship of the estate.
(9) The department may employ a collection agency for the purpose of receiving, collecting, and managing the payment of any fees ordered pursuant to this section that have gone delinquent or unpaid for 90 days or more. The collection agency must be registered and in good standing under chapter 559. The department may pay for the services of the collection agency from available authorized funds or from funds generated by any collections under this subsection. Alternatively, the department may authorize the collection agency to withhold a specified amount of any fee collected as payment for its services.
(10) The department or the collection agency shall provide to the payor documentation of the payment of any fee paid pursuant to this section. Except as provided in subsection (9), all payments received by the department or the collection agency pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the department’s Grants and Donations Trust Fund.
(11) Under no circumstance shall the court or the department extend the child’s length of stay in the department’s supervision or care solely for the purpose of collecting the fees specified in this section.
(12) No parent or child shall be liable for any fee provided in this section unless:
(a) The child is adjudicated delinquent, or has adjudication of delinquency withheld, for the offense that gave rise to the supervision or care; or
(b) The child is found to have violated an order of the court, including any order of supervision or care, and the costs are associated with the violation of such order.
If any funds are paid for the supervision or care of a child who is determined not to meet the criteria specified in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b), such funds shall be refunded to the payor forthwith.
(13) For purposes of this section, “parent” means any person who meets the definition of “parent” or “legal custody or guardian” in s. 985.03.