IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF FLORIDA, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY
RE: CHILD EDUCATION COURSE IN FAMILY LAW CASES
REF: FM-2002-018-SJ
WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of Florida issued an opinion on May 3, 2001, In re: Report of the Family Court Steering Committee (Case No. SC00-1410), and
WHEREAS, the Florida Supreme Court’s opinion indicates that Family Courts should strive to meet the needs of families and children involved in the court system by offering appropriate services and linkages to community service providers, and
WHEREAS, this Court believes that it would be in the best interest of children of divorcing parents to attend an educational program designed to assist children in coping with divorce;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROBERT K. ROUSE, JR, Chief Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, hereby order as follows:
- All children, between the ages of six and seventeen, whose parents have filed a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage in St. Johns County, Florida, shall attend a course designed to assist the children of parents involved in dissolution proceedings. Classes shall be a minimum of two hours in length and geared toward assisting children with issues related to their parents’ divorce.
- In cases affected by this Order, the Clerk of the Court shall advise the Petitioner and/or Petitioner’s counsel of the requirements of this Order by providing a copy of instructions to the Petitioner and/or Petitioner’s counsel when the case is filed. The instructions shall be furnished to the Clerk of Court by the Court Administrator’s Office. The Clerk of the Court shall file documentation of the provision of these materials to the Petitioner and/or Petitioner's counsel in the appropriate case file.
- It is the responsibility of the Petitioner and/or Petitioner’s counsel to provide the Respondent with a copy of these instructions.
- Minor children of divorcing parents residing with the petitioner shall attend said course within thirty (30) days of filing of the petition.
- Minor children of divorcing parents residing with the respondent shall attend said course within thirty (30) days of service of the petition.
- The approved course provider for St. Johns County is Psychological Services, Inc.
- The course provider shall set the cost of the program, but no party shall be refused permission to attend due to their inability to pay.
- Costs shall initially be borne by the custodial parent, unless otherwise ordered by the court. The court may thereafter order costs to be redistributed.
- Upon completion of the course, the course provider shall forward Certificates of Completion to the Clerk of Court’s office for inclusion in case files.
- Nothing in this Order shall prohibit judges from ordering attendance at a Child Education Course in cases not subject to this Order.
- Nothing in this Order shall prohibit judges from waiving the requirements of this Order upon presentation of a proper motion in individual cases.
- Failure to comply with the terms of this Order may result in appropriate sanctions against the offending party.
TO BE RECORDED in St. Johns County, Florida.
DONE AND ORDERED in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida, this 15th day of July, 2002.