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Seminole County Dependency Court

Juvenile Justice Center
190 Bush Blvd.
Sanford, FL 32773
Phone:407-665-5463
Fax: 407-665-5449
E-mail: Betsy Poleschuk

*Mission*

The Juvenile Courts in Florida have jurisdiction over all dependency matters for juveniles up to the age of eighteen years of age. Under the leadership of the judiciary, the dependency court wants to assist in the movement to institutionalize standards of excellence for safe and permanent outcomes for children who are abused, abandoned and neglected. This meaning the children of Seminole county who have removed from their homes and families due to some form of abuse, abandonment or neglect.

	The Juvenile Justice Center located at 190 Bush Blvd., Sanford, Fl. 32771. All juvenile court is held for Seminole County at this location. The Judiciary, Guardian Ad Litem Program, Pay Program, State Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office and the Juvenile Clerk of the Court occupy office space at the Juvenile Justice Center.


Abandonment meaning the situation in which the parent or legal custodian of a child, or caregiver while being able to do so, makes no effort to communicate with the child. Abuse meaning any willful act or threatened act that results in any physical, mental or sexual injury or harm that causes or is likely to cause the child’s physical, mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired. These may also include acts or omissions. Neglect occurs when a child is deprived of, or is allowed to be deprived of necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment or a child is permitted to live in an environment when such deprivation or environment causes the child’s physical and mental or emotional health to be significantly impaired or even the danger of being impaired.

One year to permanency is the charge to our child protection community. A sense of urgency must never be forgotten for any child in the system. The dependency court strives to change the current paradigm, to create a new paradigm shift of viewing everything through the eyes of a child. As public servants, we must not forget that we are here for the protection and interests of the children of Florida. To achieve those goals in Seminole County, there are two Juvenile Judges and one General Magistrate who preside over all dependency hearings.



*The following is a brief description of the process of a dependency case through the court system:*

Parents or guardians have the right to be represented by an attorney in dependency court. Please keep in mind all legal matters should be discussed with your attorney. Child Protective Investigator (CPI) responds to and investigates a report of suspected child abuse, neglect or abandonment. Judge decides what is best for the child entering protective supervision or foster care. Shelter Hearing the court determines whether there is evidence to keep a child, who has been removed from his/her home by a Child Protective Investigator, in an out of home placement pending further investigation by the PI. This hearing must happen within 24 hours of the child being removed from their home. Arraignment provides the parent(s) an opportunity to admit, consent or deny the abuse or neglect allegations or dependency of their child. Adjudication the finding of whether or not there has been abuse, neglect or abandonment. For an adjudication of dependency the judge only has to find that there is a preponderance of evidence (more evidence that supports the child has been abused/neglected than evidence to the contrary). Disposition sets forth the specific services needed by the child(ren) and families through a court ordered and approved case plan. Judicial Reviews the services ordered, progress of family on case plan, and changes in the child(ren) and families status. Reviews can occur at 3 or 6-month intervals. If the children) remain in foster care the reviews must occur every 6 months up to the child(ren) 18th birthday. Permanency Hearing. A special judicial review hearing held no later than 12 months after the child was originally removed from the home, in which the department formally presents the permanency plan for the child to the court. Review of cases in which parental rights have terminated (TPR) and custody is given to the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the court must review the status of the case(s) every 6 month until the child(ren) is placed for adoption,

Juvenile Justice Center
190 Bush Blvd.
Sanford, FL 32773
Phone:407-665-5463
Fax: 407-665-5449
E-mail: Betsy Poleschuk

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Seminole County Dependency Court