Pariente's plans as chief justice.

• Author: Pudlow, Jan
• Position: Includes 4 testimonials - Florida Supreme Court - Testimonial

The July 2 morning Barbara Pariente was sworn in as chief justice, she noted: "Today is the 40th anniversary of the signing of the historic Civil Rights Act--probably the single most significant piece of legislation in our lifetime."

Sitting in the audience was longtime child advocate Jack Levine, who remarked: "What better stage than the Florida Supreme Court for honoring a pioneer jurist whose focus has been a career-long interest in the rights of a population with little voice of their own: children?"

Observed Fifth District Court of Appeal Judge Emerson Thompson: "Read her opinions. She is often in dissent and she has an attitude that she wants to level the playing field to make sure everyone has a fair opportunity to be heard. That includes children and pro se litigants."

Listening to Children, Urging a Unified Family Court

Giving children a voice in court was demonstrated in Amendment to the Rules of Juvenile Procedure, Fla. R. Juv. P. 8.350, 804 So. 2d 1206 (Fla. 2001). The 5-2 opinion, written by Pariente [in an issue first brought to the court in M.W. v. Davis and DCF, 756 So. 2d 90 (Fla. 2000)] was hailed by children's advocates as a groundbreaking decision recognizing that foster children have rights, too. Carrying out the recommendation of The Florida Bar Commission on the Legal Needs of Children, the opinion said foster children have a right to a lawyer and meaningful opportunity to be heard at a hearing before they can be sent to a residential mental health treatment facility against their will.

Pariente chairs the Supreme Court's Steering Committee on Families and Children in the Courts, which advocates a Unified Family Court.

She said it is important "not to lose sight of the fact that the test of a justice system is its effect on individual lives. Therefore, I will strive to use the chief's office to continue to ensure that our Unified Family Court--which includes dissolution of marriage, adoption, child support; domestic violence, juvenile dependency, and juvenile delinquency--continues to be given top priority. A huge number of people come to court because there is trouble in the family--a disintegrating marriage, domestic abuse, custody and child support matters, children in need of services, and delinquency.

"The Unified Family Court is not a training ground for new lawyers and new judges, but a court where we should be sending our most experienced and committed lawyers and judges. This high level of commitment and experience is necessary to deal with the complexities...