Bill Text: FL S0746 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Terms of Courts
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-04-04 - Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see HB 7017 (Ch. 2013-25) [S0746 Detail]
Download: Florida-2013-S0746-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2013 SB 746 By Senator Stargel 15-00441A-13 2013746__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to terms of courts; repealing s. 3 25.051, F.S., relating to regular terms of the Supreme 4 Court; repealing s. 26.21, F.S., relating to terms of 5 the circuit courts; repealing s. 26.22, F.S., relating 6 to terms of the First Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 7 26.23, F.S., relating to terms of the Second Judicial 8 Circuit; repealing s. 26.24, F.S., relating to terms 9 of the Third Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 26.25, 10 F.S., relating to terms of the Fourth Judicial 11 Circuit; repealing s. 26.26, F.S., relating to terms 12 of the Fifth Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 26.27, 13 F.S., relating to terms of the Sixth Judicial Circuit; 14 repealing s. 26.28, F.S., relating to terms of the 15 Seventh Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 26.29, F.S., 16 relating to terms of the Eighth Judicial Circuit; 17 repealing s. 26.30, F.S., relating to terms of the 18 Ninth Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 26.31, F.S., 19 relating to terms of the Tenth Judicial Circuit; 20 repealing s. 26.32, F.S., relating to terms of the 21 Eleventh Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 26.33, F.S., 22 relating to terms of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit; 23 repealing s. 26.34, F.S., relating to terms of the 24 Thirteenth Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 26.35, F.S., 25 relating to terms of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit; 26 repealing s. 26.36, F.S., relating to terms of the 27 Fifteenth Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 26.361, F.S., 28 relating to terms of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit; 29 repealing s. 26.362, F.S., relating to terms of the 30 Seventeenth Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 26.363, 31 F.S., relating to terms of the Eighteenth Judicial 32 Circuit; repealing s. 26.364, F.S., relating to terms 33 of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 34 26.365, F.S., relating to terms of the Twentieth 35 Judicial Circuit; repealing s. 26.37, F.S., relating 36 to requiring a judge to attend the first day of each 37 term of the circuit court; repealing s. 26.38, F.S., 38 relating to a requirement for a judge to state a 39 reason for nonattendance; repealing s. 26.39, F.S., 40 relating to the penalty for nonattendance of the 41 judge; repealing s. 26.40, F.S., relating to 42 adjournment of the circuit court upon nonattendance of 43 the judge; repealing s. 26.42, F.S., relating to 44 calling all cases on the docket at the end of each 45 term; repealing s. 35.10, F.S., relating to regular 46 terms of the district courts of appeal; repealing s. 47 35.11, F.S., relating to special terms of the district 48 courts of appeal; repealing s. 907.05, F.S., relating 49 to a requirement that criminal trials be heard in the 50 term of court before civil cases; repealing s. 51 907.055, F.S., relating to a requirement that persons 52 in custody be arraigned and tried in the term of court 53 unless good cause is shown; amending ss. 26.46, 27.04, 54 30.12, 30.15, 34.13, 35.05, and 38.23, F.S.; 55 conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 56 creating s. 43.43, F.S.; allowing the Supreme Court to 57 set terms of court for the Supreme Court, district 58 courts of appeal, and circuit courts; creating s. 59 43.44, F.S.; authorizing appellate courts to withdraw 60 a mandate within 120 days after its issuance; amending 61 ss. 112.19, 206.215, 450.121, 831.10, 831.17, 877.08, 62 902.19, 903.32, 905.01, 905.09, 905.095, 914.03, 63 924.065, and 932.47, F.S.; conforming provisions to 64 changes made by the act; providing an effective date. 65 66 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 67 68 Section 1. Sections 25.051, 26.21, 26.22, 26.23, 26.24, 69 26.25, 26.26, 26.27, 26.28, 26.29, 26.30, 26.31, 26.32, 26.33, 70 26.34, 26.35, 26.36, 26.361, 26.362, 26.363, 26.364, 26.365, 71 26.37, 26.38, 26.39, 26.40, 26.42, 35.10, 35.11, 907.05, and 72 907.055, Florida Statutes, are repealed. 73 Section 2. Section 26.46, Florida Statutes, is amended to 74 read: 75 26.46 Jurisdiction of resident judge after assignment.—If 76Whena circuit judge is assigned to another circuit, none of the 77 circuit judges in thatsuchother circuit shall, because of the 78suchassignment, be deprived of or affected in his or her 79 jurisdiction other than to the extent essential so as not to 80 conflict with the authority of the temporarily assigned circuit 81 judge as to the particular case or cases or class of cases, or82in presiding at the particular term or part of term named or83specified in the assignment. 84 Section 3. Section 27.04, Florida Statutes, is amended to 85 read: 86 27.04 Summoning and examining witnesses for state.—The 87 state attorney shall have summoned all witnesses required on 88 behalf of the state; and he or she is allowed the process of his 89 or her court to summon witnesses from throughout the state to 90 appear before the state attorneyin or out of term timeat such 91 convenient places in the state attorney’s judicial circuit and 92 at such convenient times as may be designated in the summons, to 93 testify before him or her as to any violation of the law upon 94 which they may be interrogated, and he or she is empowered to 95 administer oaths to all witnesses summoned to testify by the 96 process of his or her court or who may voluntarily appear before 97 the state attorney to testify as to any violation or violations 98 of the law. 99 Section 4. Section 30.12, Florida Statutes, is amended to 100 read: 101 30.12 Power to appoint sheriff.—IfWheneverany sheriff in 102 the state failsshall failto attend, in person or by deputy, 103any term ofthe circuit court or county court of the county, 104 from sickness, death, or other cause, the judge attending the 105saidcourt may appoint an interimasheriff, who shall assume 106 all the responsibilities, perform all the duties, and receive 107 the same compensation as if he or she had been duly appointed 108 sheriff,for only thesaidterm of nonattendancecourtand no 109 longer. 110 Section 5. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 111 30.15, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 112 30.15 Powers, duties, and obligations.— 113 (1) Sheriffs, in their respective counties, in person or by 114 deputy, shall: 115 (c) Attend all sessionstermsof the circuit court and 116 county court held in their counties. 117 Section 6. Subsection (2) of section 34.13, Florida 118 Statutes, is amended to read: 119 34.13 Method of prosecution.— 120 (2) Upon the finding of indictments by the grand jury for 121 crimes cognizable by the county court, the clerk of the court, 122 without any order therefor, shall docket the same on the trial 123 docket of the county courton or before the first day of its124next succeeding term. 125 Section 7. Subsection (2) of section 35.05, Florida 126 Statutes, is amended to read: 127 35.05 Headquarters.— 128 (2) A district court of appeal may designate other 129 locations within its district as branch headquarters for the 130 conduct of the business of the courtin special or regular term131 and as the official headquarters of its officers or employees 132 pursuant to s. 112.061. 133 Section 8. Section 38.23, Florida Statutes, is amended to 134 read: 135 38.23 ContemptContemptsdefined.—A refusal to obey any 136 legal order, mandate or decree, made or given by any judge 137either in term time or in vacationrelative to any of the 138 business of thesaidcourt, after due notice thereof, isshall139be considereda contempt, punishableand punishedaccordingly. 140But nothing said or written, or published, in vacation, to or of141any judge, or of any decision made by a judge, shall in any case142be construed to be a contempt.143 Section 9. Section 43.43, Florida Statutes, is created to 144 read: 145 43.43 Terms of courts.—The Supreme Court may establish 146 terms of court for the Supreme Court, the district courts of 147 appeal, and the circuit courts; may authorize district courts of 148 appeal and circuit courts to establish their own terms of court; 149 or may dispense with terms of court. 150 Section 10. Section 43.44, Florida Statutes, is created to 151 read: 152 43.44 Mandate of an appeals court.—An appellate court may, 153 as the circumstances and justice of the case may require, 154 reconsider, revise, reform, or modify its own opinions and 155 orders for the purpose of making the same accord with law and 156 justice. Accordingly, an appellate court may recall its own 157 mandate for the purpose of allowing it to exercise such 158 jurisdiction and power in a proper case. A mandate may not be 159 recalled more than 120 days after it has been issued. 160 Section 11. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 161 112.19, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 162 112.19 Law enforcement, correctional, and correctional 163 probation officers; death benefits.— 164 (1) Whenever used in this section, the term: 165 (b) “Law enforcement, correctional, or correctional 166 probation officer” means any officer as defined in s. 943.10(14) 167 or employee of the state or any political subdivision of the 168 state, including any law enforcement officer, correctional 169 officer, correctional probation officer, state attorney 170 investigator, or public defender investigator, whose duties 171 require such officer or employee to investigate, pursue, 172 apprehend, arrest, transport, or maintain custody of persons who 173 are charged with, suspected of committing, or convicted of a 174 crime; and the term includes any member of a bomb disposal unit 175 whose primary responsibility is the location, handling, and 176 disposal of explosive devices. The term also includes any full 177 time officer or employee of the state or any political 178 subdivision of the state, certified pursuant to chapter 943, 179 whose duties require such officer to serve process or to attend 180 a sessiontermsof a circuit or county court as bailiff. 181 Section 12. Subsection (2) of section 206.215, Florida 182 Statutes, is amended to read: 183 206.215 Costs and expenses of proceedings.— 184 (2) The clerks of the courts performing duties under the 185 provisions aforesaid shall receive the same fees as prescribed 186 by the general law for the performance of similar duties, and 187 witnesses attending any investigation pursuant to subpoena shall 188 receive the same mileage and per diem as if attending as a 189 witness before the circuit courtin term time. 190 Section 13. Subsection (4) of section 450.121, Florida 191 Statutes, is amended to read: 192 450.121 Enforcement of Child Labor Law.— 193 (4) Grand juriesshallhave inquisitorial powers to 194 investigate violations of this chapter; also, trial court judges 195 shall specially charge the grand jury, at the beginning of each196term of the court,to investigate violations of this chapter. 197 Section 14. Section 831.10, Florida Statutes, is amended to 198 read: 199 831.10 Second conviction of uttering forged bills.—A person 200 previouslyWhoever, having beenconvicted of violatingthe201offense mentioned ins. 831.09 who is again convicted of that 202the likeoffense committed after the former conviction,and on 203whoever is at the same term of the court convicted uponthree 204 distinct charges of such offense committed within a 6-month 205 period,shall be deemed a common utterer of counterfeit bills, 206 and shall be punished as provided in s. 775.084. 207 Section 15. Section 831.17, Florida Statutes, is amended to 208 read: 209 831.17 Violation of s. 831.16; second or subsequent 210 conviction.—A person previouslyWhoever having beenconvicted of 211 violatingeither of the offenses mentioned ins. 831.16 who,is 212 again convicted of violating that statuteeither of the same213offenses,committed after the former conviction on, and whoever214is at the same term of the court convicted uponthree distinct 215 charges of such offense committed within a 6-month periodsaid216offenses,commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as 217 provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 218 Section 16. Subsection (4) of section 877.08, Florida 219 Statutes, is amended to read: 220 877.08 Coin-operated vending machines and parking meters; 221 defined; prohibited acts, penalties.— 222 (4) Whoever violatesthe provisions ofsubsection (3) a 223 second or subsequent time commits, and is convicted of such224second separate offense, either at the same term or a subsequent225term of court, shall be guilty ofa felony of the third degree, 226 punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 227 Section 17. Subsection (1) of section 902.19, Florida 228 Statutes, is amended to read: 229 902.19 When prosecutor liable for costs.— 230 (1) IfWhena person makes a complaint before a county 231 court judge that a crime has been committed and is recognized by 232 the county court judge to appear beforeat the next term ofthe 233 court having jurisdiction to give evidence of the crime and 234 fails to appear, the person isshall beliable for all costs 235 occasioned by his or her complaint, and the county court judge 236 may enterobtaina judgment and execution for the costs as in 237 other cases. 238 Section 18. Subsection (2) of section 903.32, Florida 239 Statutes, is amended to read: 240 903.32 Defects in bond.— 241 (2) If no day, or an impossible day, is stated in a bond 242 for the defendant’s appearance before a trial court judge for a 243 hearing or trial, the defendant shall be bound to appear 10 days 244 after receipt of notice to appear by the defendant, the 245 defendant’s counsel, or any surety on the undertaking.If no246day, or an impossible day, is stated in a bond for the247defendant’s appearance for trial, the defendant shall be bound248to appear on the first day of the next term of court that will249commence more than 3 days after the undertaking is given.250 Section 19. Section 905.01, Florida Statutes, is amended to 251 read: 252 905.01 Number and procurement of grand jury; replacement of 253 member; term of grand jury.— 254 (1) The grand jury shall consist of nonotfewer than 15, 255 but nonormore than 21 persons. Theprovisions oflaw governing 256 the qualifications, disqualifications, excusals, drawing, 257 summoning, supplying deficiencies, compensation, and procurement 258 of petit jurors apply to grand jurors. In addition, an elected 259 public official is not eligible for service on a grand jury. 260 (2) The chief judge of any circuit court may provide for 261 the replacement of any grand juror who, for good cause, is 262 unable to complete the term of the grand jury. Such replacement 263 shall be made by appropriate order of the chief judge from the 264 list of prospective jurors from which the grand juror to be 265 replaced was selected. 266 (3) The chief judge of eachanycircuit court shall 267 regularly ordermay dispense withthe convening of the grand 268 jury for aat anyterm of 6 monthscourt by filing a written269order with the clerk of court directing that a grand jury not be270summoned. 271 Section 20. Section 905.09, Florida Statutes, is amended to 272 read: 273 905.09 Discharge and recall of grand jury.—A grand jury 274 that has been dismissed may be recalled at any time during the 275sameterm of the grand jurycourt. 276 Section 21. Section 905.095, Florida Statutes, is amended 277 to read: 278 905.095 Extension of grand jury term.—Upon petition of the 279 state attorney or the foreperson of the grand jury acting on 280 behalf of a majority of the grand jurors, the circuit court may 281 extend the term of a grand jury impaneled under this chapter 282 beyond the termof courtin which it was originally impaneled. A 283 grand jury whose term has been extended as provided under this 284 sectionhereinshall have the same composition and the same 285 powers and duties it had during its original term. IfIn the286eventthe term of the grand jury is extended under this section, 287 it shall be extended for a time certain, not to exceed a total 288 of 90 days, and only for the purpose of concluding one or more 289 specified investigative matters initiated during its original 290 term. 291 Section 22. Section 914.03, Florida Statutes, is amended to 292 read: 293 914.03 Attendance of witnesses.—A witness summoned by a 294 grand juryor in a criminal caseshall remain in attendance 295 until excused by the grand jury. A witness summoned in a 296 criminal case shall remain available for attendance until the 297 case for which he or she was summoned is disposed of or until he 298 or she is excused by the court. A witness who departs without 299 permission of the court shall be in criminal contempt of court. 300A witness shall attend each succeeding term of court until the301case is terminated.302 Section 23. Subsection (2) of section 924.065, Florida 303 Statutes, is amended to read: 304 924.065 Denial of motion for new trial or arrest of 305 judgment; appeal bond; supersedeas.— 306 (2) An appeal mayshallnot be a supersedeas to the 307 execution of the judgment, sentence, or order until the 308 appellant has entered into a bond with at least two sureties to 309 secure the payment of the judgment, fine, and any future costs 310 that may be adjudged by the appellate court. The bond shall be 311 conditioned on the appellant’s personally answering and abiding 312 by the final order, sentence, or judgment of the appellate court 313 and, if the action is remanded, on the appellant’s appearing 314 beforeat the next term ofthe court in which the case was 315 originally determined and not departing without leave of court. 316 Section 24. Section 932.47, Florida Statutes, is amended to 317 read: 318 932.47 Informations filed by prosecuting attorneys. 319 Informations may be filed by the prosecuting attorney of the 320 circuit court with the clerk of the circuit courtin vacation or321in termwithout leave of the court first being obtained. 322 Section 25. This act shall take effect January 1, 2014.