In re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—Report No. 2015-01

175 So. 3d 782, 2015 WL 5601467
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedSeptember 24, 2015
DocketNo. SC15-368
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 175 So. 3d 782 (In re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—Report No. 2015-01) 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 Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—Report No. 2015-01, 175 So. 3d 782, 2015 WL 5601467 (Fla. 2015).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (Committee) has submitted a report proposing amendments to ten existing standard criminal jury instructions and the addition of one new instruction. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.

The Committee proposes amending existing instructions 20.3 — Welfare Fraud— Failure to Disclose a Material Fact; 20.4— Welfare Fraud — Aiding or Abetting; 20.5 — Welfare Fraud — Change in Circumstances; 20.6 — Welfare Fraud — [Food Assistance Identification Card] [Authorization] [Certificate of Eligibility for Medical Services] [Medicaid Identification Card]; 20.7 — Welfare Fraud — Administrator Misappropriating; 20.8 — Welfare Fraud — Administrator Failure to Disclose; 20.9— Welfare Fraud — Receiving Unauthorized Payments; 20.10 — Welfare Fraud — Filing Without Crediting; 20.11 — Welfare [783]*783Fraud — Billing in Excess; and 20.12— Welfare Fraud — Filing for Services Not Rendered.1 The Committee also proposes adding new instruction 22.16 — [Setting up] [Promoting] [Playing at] a Game of Chance for Money, Thing of Value, or Under the Pretext of a Sale, Gift, or Delivery.

Before filing its report with the Court, the Committee published its proposals for comment. Two comments were received by the Committee. Both comments asserted that language in instructions 20.3-20.10 and instruction 20.12 stating that repayment of public assistance wrongfully obtained is not a defense under section 414.39(7), Florida Statutes (2014), may mislead jurors into believing that repayment is not relevant to any issue presented at trial, particularly the issue of whether the defendant acted with the requisite intent. The commenters suggested adding language to instructions 20.3-20.10 and instruction 20.12 to clarify that a jury may consider repayment in determining whether a defendant acted knowingly or by mistake or accident. The Committee disagreed and declined to amend the instructions as suggested by the commen-ters.

Having considered the Committee’s report and the comments received by the Committee, we authorize for publication and use amended instructions 20.3-20.12 and new instruction 22.16 as proposed by the Committee. We note, however, that a special instruction may be warranted in cases in which repayment of public assistance wrongfully obtained is relevant to the issue of whether the defendant acted with the requisite intent.

The instructions, as set forth in the appendix to this opinion, are authorized for publication and use.2 In authorizing the publication and use of these instructions, we express no opinion on their correctness and remind all interested parties that this authorization forecloses neither requesting additional or alternative instructions nor contesting the legal correctness of the instructions. We further caution all interested parties that any comments associated with the instructions reflect only the opinion of the Committee and are not necessarily indicative of the views of this Court as to their correctness or applicability. New language is indicated by underlining and deleted language is indicated by struck-through type. The instructions as set forth in the appendix shall be effective when this opinion becomes final.

It is so ordered.

LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, and PERRY, JJ., concur.

[784]*784Appendix

20.3 WELFARE FRAUD — FAILURE TO DISCLOSE A MATERIAL FACT

§ 414.39(l)(a), Fla. — Stat.

To prove the crime of Welfare Fraud — Failure to Disclose a Material Fact, the State must prove the following three-two elements beyond a reasonable doubt:

1. (Defendant) knowingly failed to disclose a material fact by false statement, misrepresentation, impersonation, or other fraudulent means.

2. The fact was [used] [to be used] to determine (defendant’s) qualifications to receive aid or benefits public assistance from any state or federally funded public assistance program.

3. The aid or benefits cáme from a state — or—federally funded assistance program.

§ m.S9(5), Fla. Stat.

If you find (Defendant) guilty of Welfare Fraud, you must also determine if the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt whether the value of the public assistance wrongfully [received] [retained] [misappropriated] [sought] [used] was:

a. less than an aggregate value of $200 in any 12 consecutive months.

b. an aggregate value of $200 or more, but less than $20,000 in any 12 consecutive months.

c. an aggregate value, of $20,000 or more, but less than $100,000 in any 12 consecutive months.

d. $100,000 or more in any 12 consecutive months.

§ m.S9(5)(e), Fla. Stat.

The value of a food assistance authorization benefit is the cash or exchange value unlawfully obtained by the fraudulent act.

Definitions. Give as applicable.

“Fraudulent” means the intent or purpose of suppressing the truth or perpetrating a deception.

§ IU.S9(5)(f), Fla. Stat.

“Fraud” includes the introduction of fraudulent records into a computer system, the unauthorized use of computer facilities, the intentional or deliberate alteration or destruction of computerized information or files, and the stealing of financial instruments, data, and other assets.

“Aid or abet” means help, assist, or facilitate.

An “attempt” to-commit a crime is the formation of an intent to commit that-crime - and the doing--of-some act toward the-commission of the crime other-than mere preparation to commit the crime.

“Knowingly” means with actual knowledge and understanding, of the facts or the truth.

Optional Definition

“Knowingly” means an act done voluntarily and intentionally and not because of mistake or accident or other innocent reason. (Devitt & Blackmar— Federal Jury Practice and Instructions, Sec. 16.07) •

Defense? Give if applicable. § ⅛1⅛,.39(7), Fla. Stat.

It is not a defense that the defendant repaid the assistance or services obtained.

Inferences. Give as applicable.

[785]*785Optional-(if- — appropriate-)-Proof § bH.89(8)(a), Fla. Stat.-

A paid warrant made-to-the order of the defendant-is- sufficient to establish that the-defendant received assistance, though-this fact- may be disproved by competent evidence, -You may conclude that (defendant) did receive public assistance from the state if you find that there was a paid state warrant made to the order of the defendant.

§ j.H.39(8)(b), Fla. Stat.

You may conclude that an identified recipient received public assistance from the state if you find that a transaction history generated by a Personal-Identification Number (PIN) established a purchase or withdrawal by electronic benefit transfer.

Lesser Included Offenses

No lesser included offenses have been identified for this offense.

Comment

This instruction was adopted in 1981 and amended in 2015.

20.4 WELFARE FRAUD — AIDING OR ABETTING

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Related

In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—report 2016-05
210 So. 3d 626 (Supreme Court of Florida, 2017)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
175 So. 3d 782, 2015 WL 5601467, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-standard-jury-instructions-in-criminal-casesreport-no-2015-01-fla-2015.