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The Florida Senate

1998 Florida Statutes

985.201  Jurisdiction.--

(1)  The circuit court has exclusive original jurisdiction of proceedings in which a child is alleged to have committed a delinquent act or violation of law.

(2)  During the prosecution of any violation of law against any person who has been presumed to be an adult, if it is shown that the person was a child at the time the offense was committed and that the person does not meet the criteria for prosecution and sentencing as an adult, the court shall immediately transfer the case, together with the physical custody of the person and all physical evidence, papers, documents, and testimony, original and duplicate, connected therewith, to the appropriate court for proceedings under this chapter. The circuit court is exclusively authorized to assume jurisdiction over any juvenile offender who is arrested and charged with violating a federal law or a law of the District of Columbia, who is found or is living or domiciled in a county in which the circuit court is established, and who is surrendered to the circuit court as provided in 18 U.S.C. s. 5001.

(3)(a)  Petitions filed under this part shall be filed in the county where the delinquent act or violation of law occurred, but the circuit court for that county may transfer the case to the circuit court of the circuit in which the child resides or will reside at the time of detention or placement for dispositional purposes. A child who has been detained shall be transferred to the appropriate detention center or facility or other placement directed by the receiving court.

(b)  The jurisdiction to be exercised by the court when a child is taken into custody before the filing of a petition under s. 985.219(7) shall be exercised by the circuit court for the county in which the child is taken into custody, which court shall have personal jurisdiction of the child and the child's parent or legal guardian. Upon the filing of a petition in the appropriate circuit court, the court that is exercising initial jurisdiction of the person of the child shall, if the child has been detained, immediately order the child to be transferred to the detention center or facility or other placement as ordered by the court having subject matter jurisdiction of the case.

(4)(a)  Notwithstanding ss. 743.07, 985.229, 985.23, and 985.231, and except as provided in ss. 985.31 and 985.313, when the jurisdiction of any child who is alleged to have committed a delinquent act or violation of law is obtained, the court shall retain jurisdiction, unless relinquished by its order, until the child reaches 19 years of age, with the same power over the child that the court had prior to the child becoming an adult.

(b)  The court may retain jurisdiction over a child committed to the department for placement in an intensive residential treatment program for 10-year-old to 13-year-old offenders or in a program for serious or habitual juvenile offenders as provided in s. 985.311 or s. 985.31 until the child reaches the age of 21. If the court exercises this jurisdiction retention, it shall do so solely for the purpose of the child completing the intensive residential treatment program for 10-year-old to 13-year-old offenders or the program for serious or habitual juvenile offenders. Such jurisdiction retention does not apply for other programs, other purposes, or new offenses.

(c)  The court may retain jurisdiction over a child and the child's parent or legal guardian whom the court has ordered to pay restitution until the restitution order is satisfied or until the court orders otherwise. If the court retains such jurisdiction after the date upon which the court's jurisdiction would cease under this section, it shall do so solely for the purpose of enforcing the restitution order. The terms of the restitution order are subject to the provisions of s. 775.089(6).

(d)  This subsection does not prevent the exercise of jurisdiction by any court having jurisdiction of the child if the child, after becoming an adult, commits a violation of law.

History.--s. 5, ch. 90-208; s. 12, ch. 92-287; s. 2, ch. 93-37; s. 19, ch. 94-209; s. 21, ch. 94-342; s. 2, ch. 95-160; s. 9, ch. 97-238.

Note.--Former s. 39.022.