{"id":18817,"date":"2026-11-08T03:27:47","date_gmt":"2026-11-08T03:27:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robinsoncasey.com\/guides\/involuntary-commitment-addiction\/adult-child-19-drugs-involuntary-treatment-florida\/"},"modified":"2026-11-10T08:52:41","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T08:52:41","slug":"adult-child-19-drugs-involuntary-treatment-florida","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/robinsoncasey.com\/guides\/involuntary-commitment-addiction\/adult-child-19-drugs-involuntary-treatment-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"Involuntary Treatment for Young Adult Addiction Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Marchman Act Petitions | Miami-Dade & South Florida<\/p>

Helping Families Seek Involuntary Treatment for a Young Adult's Addiction<\/h1>

Robinson Casey focuses on Marchman Act petitions and guardianship matters for families in Miami-Dade, South Florida and across Florida. Your first consultation is free, confidential and comes with no obligation to continue.<\/p>

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Casey III, Esq. \u00b7 Published November 7, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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Florida law lets a parent ask a court for help with an adult child’s addiction. The Marchman Act allows a petition asking a judge to review the adult’s substance use and order assessment and treatment. This page explains who can file, what the court looks for, and what happens after filing. Robinson Casey focuses its practice on Marchman Act and guardianship matters for families in South Florida and statewide.<\/p>\n

Yes, a Parent Can Ask a Florida Court for Help With an Adult Child<\/h2>\n

Yes. Under Florida law, if the respondent is an adult, a petition for involuntary treatment services may be filed by the respondent’s spouse or legal guardian, any relative, a service provider, or an adult who has direct personal knowledge of the respondent’s substance abuse impairment and his or her prior course of assessment and treatment (Fla. Stat. \u00a7 397.68112<\/a>).<\/p>\n

You’ve likely spent years paying for programs, trying interventions and holding firm boundaries. A recent overdose, relapse or hospital stay may have shown you those steps aren’t enough. Under filing rules<\/a> in \u00a7 397.681<\/a>, the petition goes to the clerk of court in the county where your son is located. The who-may-file rule<\/a> in \u00a7 397.68112<\/a> lets any relative file for an adult.<\/p>\n\n

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Not sure what your next step is?<\/h3>

Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

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What the Marchman Act Covers for a 19-Year-Old Using Drugs<\/h2>\n

Florida’s test asks whether an adult has lost self-control over substance use and can’t make a sound decision about getting help. The involuntary admission criteria<\/a> in \u00a7 397.675<\/a> require a good faith reason to believe the person is substance abuse impaired, or has a substance use disorder and a co-occurring mental health disorder, and because of that has lost the power of self-control over substance use. The statute then asks whether the person needs services and can’t appreciate that need, or is likely to neglect themselves in a way that poses a real and present threat of substantial harm that cannot be avoided through willing, able, and responsible family members or friends or other services. It also applies where there is a substantial likelihood the person has inflicted, or threatened or attempted to inflict, or, unless admitted, is likely to inflict, physical harm on themselves or another.<\/p>\n

One point surprises many parents. Simply refusing treatment is not, by itself, evidence of lack of judgment. Your case needs facts beyond “he won’t go.”<\/p>\n

Facts families bring include overdoses, hospital visits, missed work or school, disappearances and arrests tied to use. Under hearing rules<\/a> in \u00a7 397.6957<\/a>, the court hears family members who know your son’s history and reviews the assessment results.<\/p>\n

What a Marchman Act Petition Cannot Do<\/h2>\n

A petition can bring your son before a judge. It cannot cure addiction or promise how treatment will go. Recovery depends on the person, the program and the steps that come after treatment.<\/p>\n