Dependency Law Finder

Florida's dependency statutes, court rules and DCF operating procedures, with the appellate opinions that apply them

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T.F. v. Department of Children & Families895 So. 2d 1288 (Fla. 5th DCA 2005) · 5D04-1658

Court
5th DCA
Decided
2005-03-24
Case
Dependency
Appellant
Both parents

Affirmed Dependency adjudication affirmed because the caseworker's testimony was competent, substantial evidence of abuse, abandonment or neglect.

Issue
Dependency adjudication: sufficiency of evidence

Summary, issues, facts, outcome, and appellant were extracted automatically from the opinion. Check the opinion itself before relying on them.

On CourtListener
THOMPSON, J.

In this consolidated appeal, T.F., the father, and J.R.F., the mother, appeal an order of dependency. We affirm.

In reviewing an order adjudicating a child dependent, the appellate court does not conduct a de novo review of the evidence or substitute its judgment for that of the trial court. In re D.J.W., 764 So.2d 825, 826 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000). In order to adjudicate a child dependent, the trial court must find by the preponderance of the evidence that the child has been abused, abandoned, or neglected, or is at substantial risk of imminent abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Id. Because the trial court is responsible for resolving disputes in the evidence and making findings of fact, the trial court’s findings as to abuse, abandonment, or neglect will be sustained if they are supported by competent, substantial evidence. Id. Here, the testimony of the caseworker provided competent, substantial evidence to support the adjudications of dependency.

AFFIRMED.

ORFINGER and TORPY, JJ., concur.

Opinion text: CourtListener, Free Law Project. Not an official reporter; check the court's version before citing.