At Tate Healey Webster, we’ve always believed that the legal system can—and should—work better for children. That’s why we’re proud to share the recent work of our own board-certified adoption attorney Erica T. Healey, who played a lead role in a major statewide project to streamline and standardize adoption finalizations under Chapter 39 of the Florida Statutes.
In collaboration with Judge Katherine Essrig, April E. Rolle, Esq. (Director of Strategic Initiatives), and attorneys across the state, Erica joined a workgroup convened by the Dependency Court Improvement Panel to address a problem in Florida’s child welfare courts: inconsistent, circuit-specific requirements for finalizing adoptions. These disparities created confusion and delays in finalizing adoptions—sometimes prolonging a child’s wait for permanency.
As part of the DCF Adoption Process Pilot, launched in the Sixth and Thirteenth Circuits, the workgroup compiled a comprehensive chart comparing court protocols across all counties in Florida. They cross-referenced local checklists with the actual legal requirements under Florida Statutes and the Florida Administrative Code.
After months of research and collaboration, the result was a Uniform Chapter 39 Adoption Checklist—a clear, vetted list of required documents that removes unnecessary redundancies and promotes a faster path to finalization.
This checklist has now been officially disseminated by the Office of the State Courts Administrator (OSCA) to:
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Trial Court Administrators
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Chief Judges
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Dependency Judicial Officers
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Family Court Administrative Judges
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Circuit-level Family Court Staff
The checklist is already improving case management efficiency and has been welcomed by judges, court staff, and practitioners alike. For attorneys, it removes guesswork. For case managers and CBCs, it offers clarity. And for children in foster care, it shortens the road to permanency.
We are proud of Erica’s leadership in this effort, and even more proud of the impact it will have on the lives of children and families across the state.
To learn more about how Tate Healey Webster supports dependency adoption and permanency efforts across Florida, visit floridaadoptionattorney.com.
