In Re Amendments to Fla. Rules of Juv. Pro.

649 So. 2d 1370, 1995 WL 27510
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJanuary 26, 1995
Docket83165
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 649 So. 2d 1370 (In Re Amendments to Fla. Rules of Juv. Pro.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Amendments to Fla. Rules of Juv. Pro., 649 So. 2d 1370, 1995 WL 27510 (Fla. 1995).

Opinion

649 So.2d 1370 (1995)

In re AMENDMENTS TO the FLORIDA RULES OF JUVENILE PROCEDURE.

No. 83165.

Supreme Court of Florida.

January 26, 1995.

John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director, The Florida Bar, Tallahassee, and Daniel P. Dawson, Chairman, The Florida Bar's Juvenile Rules Committee, Orlando, for petitioner.

Lawrence G. Walters of Doran, Anderson, Walters, Rost & Selter, Daytona Beach, Louis O. Frost, Jr., Public Defender, and Ward L. Metzger, Juvenile Court Coordinator, Office of the Public Defender, Jacksonville, on behalf of the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Florida Public Defender's Ass'n, The Honorable Joseph W. Durocher, Chair, responding.

PER CURIAM.

The Juvenile Rules Committee of The Florida Bar petitions this Court to amend the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure. We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.

The Committee proposes amendments to: (1) rule 8.090 (speedy trial), to implement changes pursuant to the 1993 legislature's deletion of section 39.048(6) from the Florida Statutes; (2) rule 8.095 (procedure when child believed to be incompetent or insane), to provide guidance in delinquency cases involving incompetency or insanity; (3) rule 8.100(c) (general provisions for hearings), to conform to section 960.001(1)(d)3, Florida Statutes (Supp. 1992); (4) rule 8.104 (testimony by closed-circuit television), to conform to 1993 revisions to section 92.54, Florida Statutes; (5) rule 8.120 (post-disposition hearing), to conform to section 960.001(1)(d), Florida Statutes (Supp. 1992); (6) rule 8.245 (discovery), to conform to section 92.55, Florida Statutes (1991); (7) form 8.947, to conform to section 960.20, Florida Statutes (Supp. 1992); and (8) form 8.961 to conform to federal requirements for funding. The Committee has also created form 8.949 (an order form for HIV testing), which conforms with section 960.003, Florida Statutes (Supp. 1992), and form 8.950 (a restitution order form), which conforms with sections 39.022(4)(c), 39.054(1), and 775.089, of the Florida Statutes.

The proposed amendments and the additions, except for rule 8.100(c), were unanimously endorsed by the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar. We approve the amendments and additions, except for the proposed amendment to rule 8.100(c), which provides for the presence of victims and relatives of minor victims at hearings, trials, or other proceedings. The rule is a recitation of section 960.001(1)(d)3, Florida Statutes (1992), which applies to criminal and juvenile proceedings. *1371 In the absence of a like provision in the Rules of Criminal Procedure, we find that the institution of such a rule for juvenile proceedings is unnecessary. Accordingly, we decline to adopt this amendment since the presence of victims and relatives of minor victims has already been provided for by a Florida statute.

Appended is the text of the amended and added portions of the rules. Underscoring indicates new language; strike-through type indicates deletions. The committee notes are included for explanation and guidance only and are not adopted as an official part of the rules. These rules shall take effect upon the release of this opinion.

It is so ordered.

GRIMES, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, KOGAN, HARDING, WELLS and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur.

APPENDIX

RULE 8.090 SPEEDY TRIAL

(a) Time. If a petition has been filed alleging a child to have committed a delinquent act, the child shall be brought to an adjudicatory hearing without demand within 90 days of the earlier of the following:

(1) The date the child was taken into custody.

(2) The date the petition was filed.

(b) Dismissal. If an adjudicatory hearing has not commenced within 90 days, upon motion timely filed with the court and served upon the prosecuting attorney, the respondent shall be entitled to the appropriate remedy as set forth in subdivision (km). The court before granting such motion shall make the required inquiry under subdivision (d).

(c) Commencement. A child shall be deemed to have been brought to trial if the adjudicatory hearing begins before the court within the time provided.

(d) Motion to Dismiss. If the adjudicatory hearing is not commenced within the periods of time established, the respondent shall be entitled to the appropriate remedy as set forth in subdivision (km) unless any of the following situations exist:

(1) The child has voluntarily waived the right to speedy trial.

(2) An extension of time has been ordered under subdivision (f).

(3) The failure to hold an adjudicatory hearing is attributable to the child, a co-respondent in the same adjudicatory hearing, or their counsel.

(4) The child was unavailable for the adjudicatory hearing. A child is unavailable if:

(A) the child or the child's counsel fails to attend a proceeding when their presence is required; or

(B) the child or the child's counsel is not ready for the adjudicatory hearing on the date it is scheduled.

No presumption of nonavailability attaches, but if the state objects to dismissal and presents any evidence tending to show nonavailability, the child must, by competent proof, establish availability during the term.

(5) The demand referred to in subdivision (g) is invalid.

(6) If the court finds dismissal is not appropriate, the pending motion to dismiss shall be denied, and an adjudicatory hearing shall commence within 90 days of a written or recorded order of denial.

(e) Incompetency of Child. Upon the filing of a motion to declare the child incompetent, the speedy trial period shall be tolled until a subsequent finding of the court that the child is competent to proceed.

(f) Extension of Time. The period of time established by subdivision (a) may be extended as follows:

(1) Upon stipulation, announced to the court or signed by the child or the child's counsel and the state.

(2) By written or recorded order of the court on the court's own motion or motion by either party in exceptional circumstances. The order extending the period shall recite the reasons for the extension and the length of the extension. Exceptional circumstances are those which require an extension as a matter of substantial justice to the child or *1372 the state or both. Such circumstances include:

(A) unexpected illness or unexpected incapacity or unforeseeable and unavoidable absence of a person whose presence or testimony is uniquely necessary for a full and adequate trial;

(B) a showing by the state that the case is so unusual and so complex, due to the number of respondents or the nature of the prosecution or otherwise, that it is unreasonable to expect adequate investigation or preparation within the periods of time established by this rule;

(C) a showing by the state that specific evidence or testimony is not available, despite diligent efforts to secure it, but will become available at a later time;

(D) a showing by the child or the state of necessity for delay grounded on developments which could not have been anticipated and which will materially affect the trial;

(E) a showing that a delay is necessary to accommodate a co-respondent, where there is a reason not to sever the cases in order to proceed promptly with trial of the respondent; or

(F) a showing by the state that the child has caused major delay or disruption of preparation or proceedings, such as by preventing the attendance of witnesses or otherwise. Exceptional circumstances shall not include general congestion of the court's docket, lack of diligent preparation or failure to obtain available witnesses, or other avoidable or foreseeable delays.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
649 So. 2d 1370, 1995 WL 27510, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-amendments-to-fla-rules-of-juv-pro-fla-1995.