§ 985.13, Fla. Stat. · Part III. CUSTODY AND INTAKE;INTERVENTION AND DIVERSION
Probable cause affidavits.
Text — 2026 Florida Statutes
(1) If the child is released, the person taking the child into custody shall make a written report or probable cause affidavit to the appropriate juvenile probation officer within 24 hours after such release, stating the facts and the reason for taking the child into custody. Such written report or probable cause affidavit shall:
(a) Identify the child, the parents, guardian, or legal custodian, and the person to whom the child was released.
(b) Contain sufficient information to establish the jurisdiction of the court and to make a prima facie showing that the child has committed a violation of law or a delinquent act.
(2) A person taking a child into custody who determines, under part V, that the child should be detained or released to a shelter designated by the department, shall make a reasonable effort to immediately notify the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the child and shall, without unreasonable delay, deliver the child to the appropriate juvenile probation officer or, if the court has so ordered under s. 985.255 or s. 985.26, to a detention center or facility. Upon delivery of the child, the person taking the child into custody shall make a written report or probable cause affidavit to the appropriate juvenile probation officer. Such written report or probable cause affidavit must:
(a) Identify the child and, if known, the parents, guardian, or legal custodian.
(b) Establish that the child was legally taken into custody, with sufficient information to establish the jurisdiction of the court and to make a prima facie showing that the child has committed a violation of law.
(3)(a) A copy of the probable cause affidavit or written report made by the person taking the child into custody shall be filed, by the law enforcement agency which employs the person making such affidavit or written report, with the clerk of the circuit court for the county in which the child is taken into custody or in which the affidavit or report is made within 24 hours after the affidavit or report is made, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. Such affidavit or report is a case for the purpose of assigning a uniform case number under this subsection.
(b) Upon the filing of a copy of a probable cause affidavit or written report by a law enforcement agency with the clerk of the circuit court, the clerk shall immediately assign a uniform case number to the affidavit or report, forward a copy to the state attorney, and forward a copy to the intake office of the department which serves the county in which the case arose.
(c) Each letter of recommendation, written notice, report, or other paper required by law pertaining to the case shall bear the uniform case number of the case, and a copy shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit court by the issuing agency. The issuing agency shall furnish copies to the juvenile probation officer and the state attorney.
(d) Upon the filing of a petition based on the allegations of a previously filed probable cause affidavit or written report, the agency filing the petition shall include the appropriate uniform case number on the petition.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
s. 5, ch. 90-208; s. 9, ch. 92-287; s. 27, ch. 94-209; s. 1341, ch. 95-147; s. 19, ch. 97-238; s. 12, ch. 98-207; s. 7, ch. 2000-134; s. 21, ch. 2006-120; s. 11, ch. 2017-164.
Note
Note.—Former s. 39.038(3), (4), (6); s. 985.211(3), (4), (6).
Source of truth
- Edition
- 2026 Florida Statutes
- Official file
- https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0900-0999/0985/0985.html
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