F R O M T H E T H I R T E E N T H J U D I C I A L C I R C U I T C H I E F J U D G E
Judge Ronald Ficarrotta - Chief Judge for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
the Marriage of dependency Court
& automation: a Meaningful pair
M
although these may seem like small steps in the right direction,
the impact is significant and growing.
Peacock to make informed decisions about the cases
arriage can be complicated. Two
before her.
unique beings merge to complement
Using both FDCIS and JAWS in her courtroom,
each other in a meaningful way.
Judge Peacock makes rulings and issues orders in real
Sometimes it works out; sometimes it
time. JAWS allows her to electronically sign an order
doesn’t. In the Thirteenth Judicial
finalizing an oral ruling before the parties leave her
Circuit, we have married two very unique beings:
courtroom. Printed copies are immediately provided
dependency court and automation. And the officiant,
to those in need. This can enable children to receive
Judge Emily Peacock, makes it work every day in
timely referrals to service
her courtroom.
providers,
enroll
in
The result of this union
school,
and
obtain
is the Florida Dependency
necessary medical care.
Court Information Sys tem
Temporary custodians
(FDCIS). FDCIS is a
can act swiftly to acquire
collection of data derived
school and medical
from the Clerk’s Office,
records. The need to
the state’s Comprehensive
expeditiously adjudicate
Case Information System
dependency cases cannot
(CCIS), the Department
be denied. Although
of Juvenile Justice, the
these may seem like
Department of Children
small steps in the right
and Families, the state’s
direc tion, the impact is
Guardian
ad
Litem
significant and growing.
Program, and others. It
The judges of the
functions operationally in
dependency divisions are
conjunction with the
Judge Emily Peacock during her FDCIS Presentation
reviewing the outcomes
court’s Judicial Automated
at the 2018 Child Protection Summit.
of this marriage to deter -
Workflow System ( JAWS).
mine if such a merger
The goal of FDCIS is
would be appropriate for them.
to provide judges uniform, reliable data within allowable
FDCIS was a collaborative effort of many visionary
timeframes. Because children generally have fewer
partners, including Judge Peacock; Angie Smith of our
personal identifiers (e.g., social security numbers, driver’s
Office of Court Administration; George Roberts of the
license numbers, etc.) than adults, they can be difficult
Office of the State Courts Administrator; Doug Bakke
to positively identify. But when names and birthdates are
of the Clerk’s Office; and Stephanie Bergen and Tiffany
correlated with positively identified family members and
Short of the Office of the Attorney General. I thank
the case histories of those families, the data becomes
them for their dedication and service to the families and
more reliable. Reliable data regarding juvenile
children of our community.
delinquency, homelessness, criminal history, and
dependency history across the state enables Judge
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NOV - DEC 2018
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HCBA LAWYER