Title: Standard Jury Instructions Criminal Cases

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court of Florida
 
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No. SC00-906
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STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS- 
CRIMINAL CASES (2000-1)
[March 8, 2001]
PER CURIAM.
 The Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (“the
Committee”) has submitted a proposed revision to Standard Jury Instruction 2.03
defining plea of not guilty, burden of proof, and reasonable doubt. We have
jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const., Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.985. The Committee
published the revision for comment in The Florida Bar News.  Numerous
comments were received, and the Committee subsequently amended the proposed
instruction.  This Court ordered republication of the instruction in the June 1, 2000,
edition of The Florida Bar News and a large number of comments were received.
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We commend the chair and members of the Committee for their diligent
efforts in working to formulate an instruction on reasonable doubt that is clearer
and easier to understand than the current instruction.  However, since the current
instruction has been in use for many years and has withstood various constitutional
challenges, and in light of the numerous comments in opposition to the revision, we
decline to adopt the Committee's instruction as proposed.
Nevertheless, our decision not to adopt the proposed instruction does not
mean that we do not believe that the current instruction cannot be improved.  We
agree with the Committee that certain language in the current instruction may be
viewed as confusing or archaic, and that the grammatical structure of the instruction
is arguably awkward.  As such, we express our gratitude to the Committee for its
efforts and urge it to continue to explore ways of improving the instruction on
reasonable doubt so that it is not only clear and understandable, but also protects
the rights of the accused. 
It is so ordered. 
WELLS, C.J., and SHAW, HARDING, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, LEWIS and
QUINCE, JJ., concur.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND
IF FILED, DETERMINED.
Original Proceeding - Standard Jury Instructions (Criminal Cases)
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Honorable Philip J. Padovano, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury
Instructions in Criminal Cases, Tallahassee, Florida; and James T. Miller,
Jacksonville, Florida,
for Petitioner
Arthur I. Jacobs, General Counsel, Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association,
Fernandina Beach, Florida; Christopher R. White, Assistant State Attorney,
Sanford, Florida; Ivy R. Ginsberg, Miami, Florida; C. Richard Parker, Public
Defender, John J. Kearns, Chief Assistant Public Defender, and Barbara Blount-
Powell, Assistant Public Defender, Gainesville, Florida; Barry A. Cohen and
Stephen L. Romine of Cohen, Jayson & Foster, Tampa, Florida; Gregory A.
Prebish, President, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and H. Scott
Fingerhut, Boardmember, FACDL, Miami, Florida; Bennet H. Brummer, Public
Defender, and Manuel Alvarez, Assistant Public Defender, Miami, Florida; Norman
A. Green and Andrew B. Metcalf of Green & Metcalf, Vero Beach, Florida; Daniel
S. Ciener, Merritt Island, Florida; and other interested parties,
Responding