C. S. v. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES and GUARDIAN AD LITEM

SIXTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
STATE OF F LORIDA
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Case No. 6D2025-1902
Lower Tribunal No. 2024-DP-000052
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In the Interest of S.S., B.M.I., R.L.I., and R.MC., III, children.
C.S.,
Appellant,
v.
D EPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES and G UARDIAN AD L ITEM ,
Appellees.
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Appeal from the Circuit Court for Highlands County.
Peter F. Estrada, Judge.
March 20, 2026
PER CURIAM.
C.S., the Mother, appeals the termination of her parental rights on petition
from the Department of Children and Families. We affirm.
“In appellate proceedings the decision of a trial court has the presumption of
correctness and the burden is on the appellant to demonstrate error.” 	Applegate v.
Barnett Bank of Tallahassee, 377 So. 2d 1150, 1152 (Fla. 1979); see In re N.F., 82
So. 3d 1188, 1191 (Fla. 2d DCA 2012). The appellant has a duty to brief a case so

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as to “acquaint the Court with the material facts, the points of law involved, and the
legal arguments supporting the positions of the respective parties.” B.T. v. Dep’t of
Child. & Fams., 300 So. 3d 1273, 1279 (Fla. 1st DCA 2020) (quoting Polyglycoat
Corp. v. Hirsch Distribs., Inc., 442 So. 2d 958, 960 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983)). Because
her half-page brief does not apprise the Court of the material facts or the points of
law involved, the Mother’s issues are insufficiently briefed and therefore waived.
See Coolen v. State, 696 So. 2d 738, 742 n.2 (Fla. 1997) (holding that issues not fully
briefed and argued are waived); Lynn v. City of Fort Lauderdale, 81 So. 2d 511, 513
(Fla. 1955) (“It is elementary that when a decree of the trial court is brought here on
appeal the duty rests upon the appealing party to make error clearly appear.”).
AFFIRMED.
STARGEL, GANNAM and KAMOUTSAS, JJ., concur.
C.S., Lake Placid, pro se.
Meredith K. Hall, Appellate Counsel, of Children’s Legal Services, Bradenton, for
Appellee, Department of Children and Families.
Sara E. Goldfarb, Statewide Director of Appeals, and Laura J. Lee, Assistant
Director of Appeals, of Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office, Tallahassee, for
Appellee, Guardian ad Litem.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE MOTION FOR REHEARING
AND DISPOSITION THEREOF IF FILED