The Florida Senate

918.015  Right to speedy trial.

918.0155  Expeditious disposition of particular criminal cases involving a child under age 16.

918.0157  Right to trial by jury.

918.016  Trial of remaining defendants after grant of continuance to others.

918.03  Procedure when offense committed outside state.

918.04  Procedure when offense committed in another county.

918.05  View by jury.

918.06  Separation and detention of jurors; admonition by court.

918.07  Admonition to officer in charge of jurors.

918.10  Charge to jury; request for instructions.

918.12  Tampering with jurors.

918.13  Tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.

918.16  Sex offenses; testimony of person under age 16 or person with mental retardation; testimony of victim; courtroom cleared; exceptions.

918.19  Closing argument.

918.015  Right to speedy trial.--

(1)  In all criminal prosecutions the state and the defendant shall each have the right to a speedy trial.

(2)  The Supreme Court shall, by rule of said court, provide procedures through which the right to a speedy trial as guaranteed by subsection (1) and by s. 16, Art. I of the State Constitution, shall be realized.

History.--s. 195, ch. 19554, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 8663(202); s. 6, ch. 71-1(B).

Note.--Former s. 916.01.

918.0155  Expeditious disposition of particular criminal cases involving a child under age 16.--Every criminal case prosecuted under chapter 782, chapter 784, chapter 787, chapter 794, chapter 796, chapter 800, chapter 827, or chapter 847 which involves the abuse of a child or unlawful sexual contact or acts performed in the presence of, with, or upon a child under the age of 16 shall be heard and disposed of as expeditiously as possible. The Legislature requests the Supreme Court to adopt emergency rules regarding the expeditious handling of the matters enumerated in this section.

History.--s. 1, ch. 85-53.

918.0157  Right to trial by jury.--In each prosecution for a violation of a state law or a municipal or county ordinance punishable by imprisonment, the defendant shall have, upon demand, the right to a trial by an impartial jury in the county where the offense was committed, except as to any such prosecution for a violation punishable for a term of imprisonment of 6 months or less, if at the time the case is set for trial the court announces that in the event of conviction of the crime as charged or of any lesser included offense a sentence of imprisonment will not be imposed and the defendant will not be adjudicated guilty, unless a right to trial by jury for such offense is guaranteed under the State or Federal Constitution.

History.--s. 1, ch. 86-115.

918.016  Trial of remaining defendants after grant of continuance to others.--When a continuance is granted to one or more of several defendants, the court may proceed with the trial of the defendants who have not been granted a continuance.

History.--s. 202, ch. 19554, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 8663(210); s. 110, ch. 70-339.

Note.--Former s. 916.09.

918.03  Procedure when offense committed outside state.--When a court determines that it does not have jurisdiction because the offense charged was committed outside this state, the court may discharge the defendant or direct the clerk to communicate the location of the defendant to the chief executive of the state, territory, or district where the offense was committed. The court may commit the defendant to custody or admit him or her to bail for a reasonable period of time to await a requisition for his or her extradition. If a requisition is not received within the time set by the court, the defendant shall be discharged. If the defendant has been admitted to bail, the court shall order the bond canceled and any deposit of money or bonds returned.

History.--s. 208, ch. 19554, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 8663(216); s. 112, ch. 70-339; s. 1536, ch. 97-102.

918.04  Procedure when offense committed in another county.--When a court determines that it does not have jurisdiction because the offense charged was committed in another county of this state, the defendant shall be committed to custody or admitted to bail for a reasonable time to await a warrant for his or her arrest from the proper county. The clerk shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the proper county of the location of the defendant. If the defendant is not arrested on a warrant from the proper county within the time set by the court, he or she shall be discharged. If the defendant has been admitted to bail, the court shall order the bond canceled and any deposit of money or bonds returned.

History.--s. 209, ch. 19554, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 8663(217); s. 113, ch. 70-339; s. 1537, ch. 97-102.

918.05  View by jury.--When a court determines that it is proper for the jury to view a place where the offense may have been committed or other material events may have occurred, it may order the jury to be conducted in a body to the place, in custody of a proper officer. The court shall admonish the officer that no person, including the officer, shall be allowed to communicate with the jury about any subject connected with the trial. The jury shall be returned to the courtroom in accordance with the directions of the court. The judge and defendant, unless the defendant absents himself or herself without permission of court, shall be present, and the prosecuting attorney and defense counsel may be present at the view.

History.--s. 210, ch. 19554, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 8663(218); s. 114, ch. 70-339; s. 1538, ch. 97-102.

918.06  Separation and detention of jurors; admonition by court.--The court shall admonish the jury that it is their duty not to converse among themselves or with anyone else on a subject connected with the trial or to form or express an opinion on a subject connected with the trial until the cause is submitted to them. When the jurors leave the jury box, the court may direct that the jury be kept together in the charge of a proper officer or allow them to separate. If the court permits the jurors to separate, it shall admonish them not to view the place where the offense appears to have been committed.

History.--s. 211, ch. 19554, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 8663(219); s. 115, ch. 70-339.

918.07  Admonition to officer in charge of jurors.--When the jury is committed to the charge of an officer, the officer shall be admonished by the court to keep the jurors together in the place specified and not to permit any person to communicate with them on any subject except with the permission of the court given in open court in the presence of the defendant or the defendant's counsel. The officer shall not communicate with the jurors on any subject connected with the trial and shall return the jurors to court as directed by the court.

History.--s. 212, ch. 19554, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 8663(220); s. 116, ch. 70-339; s. 1539, ch. 97-102.

918.10  Charge to jury; request for instructions.--

(1)  At the conclusion of argument of counsel, the court shall charge the jury. The charge shall be only on the law of the case and must include the penalty for the offense for which the accused is being charged.

(2)  All charges to the jury shall be delivered orally and shall be taken by the court reporter, transcribed, and filed.

(3)  At or after the close of the evidence, a party may file written requests that the court instruct the jury on the law as stated in the requests. The court shall inform counsel of its proposed action on the requests before their arguments to the jury.

History.--s. 215, ch. 19554, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 8663(223); s. 1, ch. 22775, 1945; s. 117, ch. 70-339.

918.12  Tampering with jurors.--Any person who influences the judgment or decision of any grand or petit juror on any matter, question, cause, or proceeding which may be pending, or which may by law be brought, before him or her as such juror, with intent to obstruct the administration of justice, shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--s. 1, ch. 72-315; s. 1540, ch. 97-102.

918.13  Tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.--

(1)  No person, knowing that a criminal trial or proceeding or an investigation by a duly constituted prosecuting authority, law enforcement agency, grand jury or legislative committee of this state is pending or is about to be instituted, shall:

(a)  Alter, destroy, conceal, or remove any record, document, or thing with the purpose to impair its verity or availability in such proceeding or investigation; or

(b)  Make, present, or use any record, document, or thing, knowing it to be false.

(2)  Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--s. 2, ch. 72-315.

918.16  Sex offenses; testimony of person under age 16 or person with mental retardation; testimony of victim; courtroom cleared; exceptions.--

(1)  Except as provided in subsection (2), in the trial of any case, civil or criminal, when any person under the age of 16 or any person with mental retardation as defined in s. 393.063 is testifying concerning any sex offense, the court shall clear the courtroom of all persons except parties to the cause and their immediate families or guardians, attorneys and their secretaries, officers of the court, jurors, newspaper reporters or broadcasters, court reporters, and, at the request of the victim, victim or witness advocates designated by the state attorney's office.

(2)  When the victim of a sex offense is testifying concerning that offense in any civil or criminal trial, the court shall clear the courtroom of all persons upon the request of the victim, regardless of the victim's age or mental capacity, except that parties to the cause and their immediate families or guardians, attorneys and their secretaries, officers of the court, jurors, newspaper reporters or broadcasters, court reporters, and, at the request of the victim, victim or witness advocates designated by the state attorney may remain in the courtroom.

History.--s. 28, ch. 77-312; s. 5, ch. 90-211; s. 26, ch. 94-154; s. 109, ch. 99-3; s. 1, ch. 99-157; s. 8, ch. 2000-338; s. 96, ch. 2004-267.

918.19  Closing argument.--As provided in the common law, in criminal prosecutions after the closing of evidence:

(1)  The prosecuting attorney shall open the closing arguments.

(2)  The accused or the attorney for the accused may reply.

(3)  The prosecuting attorney may reply in rebuttal.

The method set forth in this section shall control unless the Supreme Court determines it is procedural and issues a substitute rule of criminal procedure.

History.--s. 1, ch. 2006-96.