RL v. Department of Children and Families
RL v. Department of Children and Families
955 So. 2d 1240; 2007 WL 1377892
(Southern Reporter, Second Series)
Cases that cite this one
3 later published cases cite this decision.
- S.M., etc. v. Florida Department of Children and Families (Fla. 2016)
- S.M., the Mother v. Department of Children And Families (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2015)
- Department of Children & Family Services v. K.D. (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2012)
This list shows which later cases cite this one. It does not say how they treated it, and no review of that has been done. Not a substitute for Shepard’s or KeyCite — verify before relying.
Opinion
R.L., Father of C.F. and M.S., Children, Appellant,
v.
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, et al., Appellee.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Peter T. Hickey, Sanford, for Appellant.
Charles D. Peters, Department of Children and Families, Orlando, for Appellee, Department of Children and Families.
Mercedes E. Scopetta, Orlando, for Appellee, Guardian ad Litem.
PER CURIAM.
AFFIRMED.
[T]he existence of a long-term relative placement is not the "dispositive constitutional consideration" in applying the least restrictive means test. Nor is the least restrictive means test intended to preserve the parental bonds at the cost of a child's future. Instead, this test requires that "those measures short of termination should be utilized if such measures can permit the safe reestablishment of the parent-child bond." The "clear purpose" of the least restrictive means test is "reestablishment of the parent-child bond."
A.J. v. K.A.O., 951 So.2d 30 (Fla. 5th DCA 2007) (citations omitted).
GRIFFIN, THOMPSON and MONACO, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.