V.D.C. v. Department of Children & Family Services

Simply because V.D.C. failed to attend a pretrial hearing-even though counsel did appear at the pretrial hearing in question on V.D.C.’s behalf, and even though V.D.C. had appeared personally at an earlier, advisory hearing — the trial court terminated her parental rights to her child, D.B. We reverse.

“[S]tate intervention to terminate parental rights must be accomplished by procedures meeting the requisites of due process.” J.B. v. Fla. Dep’t of Child. & Fam. Servs., 768 So.2d 1060, 1064 (Fla.2000). In proceedings to terminate parental rights, where a parent receives adequate notice of the…