Florida legal term
Voluntary family services in Florida Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Florida legislative session
In Florida criminal law, “Voluntary family services” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Florida criminal code.
What does “Voluntary family services” mean in Florida criminal law?
“Voluntary family services” means voluntary services provided by the department or an agency designated by the department to a family that has a child who is running away; who is ungovernable by persistently disobeying reasonable and lawful demands of the parent, legal guardian, or custodian and is beyond the control of the parent, legal guardian, or custodian; or who is a habitual truant or engaging in other serious behaviors that place the child at risk of future abuse, neglect, abandonment, or entering the juvenile justice system. (Fla. Stat. § 984.03)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.