SB 1570 Summary

• Amends multiple Florida statutes (39.001, 61.001, 63.022, 68.07, 741.2902, 984.01, and 985.02) and creates four new statutory sections (88.1041, 742.016, 743.001, and 1003.201) to establish legislative intent for a unified family court program.

• Establishes that courts should provide children and families with a fully integrated, comprehensive approach to handling family-related cases in a fair, timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner.

• Directs courts to use dispute resolution methods that minimize emotional harm to children and families, including coordinated case management, the "one family, one judge" concept, community collaboration for services, and alternative dispute resolution methods.

• Requires case management and alternative dispute resolution in domestic violence cases to comply with existing laws and court rules governing mediation and alternative dispute resolution.

• Applies unified family court principles across child welfare, family law, domestic violence, adoption, name change, and juvenile justice proceedings, while preserving juvenile justice system protections and public safety goals.