State Florida v. Greg P. Williams

This appeal is from a final judgment adjudicating A.D.J., a five-year-old girl, and D.L.J., a seven-year-old girl, dependent children and permanently committing them to the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS) for adoption. Appellant, the children,s father, raises three issues: (1) The trial court erred in taking judicial notice of prior dependency proceedings in which the father was not represented by counsel; (2) The court erred in admitting certain hearsay statements and reports of nontestifying witnesses; and (3) The trial court erred in ordering permanent commitment because the record lacks clear and convincing evidence that the father was guilty of abuse, abandonment, or neglect and that permanent commitment is in the best interests of the children. We reverse.