Grounds for appointment of a guardian advocate.
F.S. 39.828
in effect(1)
The court shall appoint the person named in the petition as a guardian advocate with all the powers and duties specified in s. 39.829 for an initial term of 1 year upon a finding that:
(a)
The child named in the petition is or was a drug dependent newborn as described in s. 39.01;
(b)
The parent or parents of the child have voluntarily relinquished temporary custody of the child to a relative or other responsible adult;
(c)
The person named in the petition to be appointed the guardian advocate is capable of carrying out the duties as provided in s. 39.829; and
(d)
A petition to adjudicate the child dependent under this chapter has not been filed.
(2)
The appointment of a guardian advocate does not remove from the parents the right to consent to medical treatment for their child. The appointment of a guardian advocate does not prevent the filing of a subsequent petition under this chapter to have the child adjudicated dependent.
Source: FL Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/Chapter39/AllFetched: 7/8/2026