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The Florida Senate

2015 Florida Statutes

SECTION 55
Judicial or other proceedings involving victim or witness under the age of 16, a person who has an intellectual disability, or a sexual offense victim or witness; special protections; use of registered service or therapy animals.
F.S. 92.55
92.55 Judicial or other proceedings involving victim or witness under the age of 16, a person who has an intellectual disability, or a sexual offense victim or witness; special protections; use of registered service or therapy animals.
(1) For purposes of this section, the term:
(a) “Sexual offense victim or witness” means a person who was under the age of 16 when he or she was the victim of or a witness to a sexual offense.
(b) “Sexual offense” means any offense specified in s. 775.21(4)(a)1. or s. 943.0435(1)(a)1.a.(I).
(2) Upon motion of any party, upon motion of a parent, guardian, attorney, or guardian ad litem for a victim or witness under the age of 16, a person who has an intellectual disability, or a sexual offense victim or witness, or upon its own motion, the court may enter any order necessary to protect the victim or witness in any judicial proceeding or other official proceeding from severe emotional or mental harm due to the presence of the defendant if the victim or witness is required to testify in open court. Such orders must relate to the taking of testimony and include, but are not limited to:
(a) Interviewing or the taking of depositions as part of a civil or criminal proceeding.
(b) Examination and cross-examination for the purpose of qualifying as a witness or testifying in any proceeding.
(c) The use of testimony taken outside of the courtroom, including proceedings under ss. 92.53 and 92.54.
(3) In ruling upon the motion, the court shall consider:
(a) The age of the child, the nature of the offense or act, the relationship of the child to the parties in the case or to the defendant in a criminal action, the degree of emotional trauma that will result to the child as a consequence of the defendant’s presence, and any other fact that the court deems relevant;
(b) The age of the person who has an intellectual disability, the functional capacity of such person, the nature of the offenses or act, the relationship of the person to the parties in the case or to the defendant in a criminal action, the degree of emotional trauma that will result to the person as a consequence of the defendant’s presence, and any other fact that the court deems relevant; or
(c) The age of the sexual offense victim or witness when the sexual offense occurred, the relationship of the sexual offense victim or witness to the parties in the case or to the defendant in a criminal action, the degree of emotional trauma that will result to the sexual offense victim or witness as a consequence of the defendant’s presence, and any other fact that the court deems relevant.
(4) In addition to such other relief provided by law, the court may enter orders limiting the number of times that a child, a person who has an intellectual disability, or a sexual offense victim or witness may be interviewed, prohibiting depositions of the victim or witness, requiring the submission of questions before the examination of the victim or witness, setting the place and conditions for interviewing the victim or witness or for conducting any other proceeding, or permitting or prohibiting the attendance of any person at any proceeding. The court shall enter any order necessary to protect the rights of all parties, including the defendant in any criminal action.
(5) The court may set any other conditions it finds just and appropriate when taking the testimony of a child victim or witness or a sexual offense victim or witness, including the use of a service or therapy animal that has been evaluated and registered according to national standards, in any proceeding involving a sexual offense. When deciding whether to permit a child victim or witness or sexual offense victim or witness to testify with the assistance of a registered service or therapy animal, the court shall consider the age of the child victim or witness, the age of the sexual offense victim or witness at the time the sexual offense occurred, the interests of the child victim or witness or sexual offense victim or witness, the rights of the parties to the litigation, and any other relevant factor that would facilitate the testimony by the child victim or witness or sexual offense victim or witness.
History.s. 7, ch. 85-53; s. 3, ch. 93-131; s. 23, ch. 94-154; s. 8, ch. 2000-336; s. 3, ch. 2011-220; s. 6, ch. 2013-162; s. 1, ch. 2014-4.