FL trial court upholds child’s right to hire attorney
07/07/2025
,
Florida
,
Litigation
, Abuse/Neglect/Dependency - Children
A Florida trial court has held that a child has the right to a lawyer to fight for an adoption. In the case (name redacted for privacy), a child freed for adoption and seeking to be adopted by their adoptive parents hired an attorney to bring an adoption petition after the matter languished with the State. The Guardian Ad Litem argued that minors lack capacity for hire attorneys, but the trial court responded that while there was no caselaw on point, a child can enter into a contract and the contract is voidable. The Florida Court of Appeals denied review.
The NCCRC assisted counsel for the child in this case.
