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IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
FIFTH DISTRICT
JANUARY TERM 2002
T.M., MOTHER OF A.S., B.S.,
Z.S., A.S., ETC.,
Appellant,
v.
Case No. 5D01-2332
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN
CORRECTED
AND FAMILIES,
Appellee.
/
Opinion filed March 28, 2002
Appeal from the Circuit Court
for Orange County,
Janet C. Thorpe, Judge.
Ryan Thomas Truskoski of Ryan Thomas
Truskoski, P.A., Orlando, for Appellant.
Eric D. Dunlap, Deputy Chief Legal Counsel
for Department of Children and Families,
Orlando, for Appellee.
PALMER, J.
T.M. (mother) appeals the final order entered by the trial court adjudicating four of her children
dependent. We agree with the mother that the trial court erred in failing to set forth findings of fact to
support the adjudication. Accordingly, we vacate the order and remand this matter for entry of a proper
order.
Section 39.507(6) of the Florida Statutes (1999) requires the trial court to set forth written findings
of fact which support an adjudication of dependency. Rule 8.330(g) of the Florida Rules of Juvenile
Procedure sets forth a similar requirement. Our court has consistently held that in cases where the trial court

has failed to set forth written findings to support its dependency adjudication, the matter must be vacated
and remanded with instructions to the trial court to provide such findings. J.C.G. v. Dep't of Children &
Families, 780 So. 2d 965 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001); L.B. v. Dep't of Children & Families, 766 So. 2d 1259
(Fla. 5th DCA 2000).
Here, the trial court set forth written findings explaining the reasons why the children were
dependent as to the father. However, as for the mother, the trial court stated on the record its finding that
the mother's conduct constituted abandonment sufficient to warrant a finding of dependency, but the court
failed to set forth these findings in the dependency order. While the evidence of record is sufficient to sustain
the court's ruling, the instant matter must be remanded with instructions to the trial court to provide written
reasons supporting its finding of dependency. See J.G. v. Dep't of Children & Families, 801 So. 2d 309
(Fla. 5th DCA 2001)(holding that although the court disagreed with the father's contention that the
evidence introduced during the dependency hearing was insufficient to support a finding of dependency,
the adjudication order was vacated and the cause remanded because the trial court failed to set forth
sufficient written finding to support its dependency adjudication).
Order VACATED; cause REMANDED.
THOMPSON, C.J. and SAWAYA, J., concur.
2

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