Case Name: James K. ELMAN, Jr., Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2004-06-24
Citations: 877 So. 2d 782
Docket Number: No. 1D03-1433
Parties: James K. ELMAN, Jr., Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: VAN NORTWICK, J., concurs; ERVIN, J., concurs'with opinion.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 877
Pages: 782–784

Head Matter:
James K. ELMAN, Jr., Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 1D03-1433.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
June 24, 2004.
Rehearing Denied July 28, 2004.
Nancy A. Daniels, Public Defender; A. Victoria Wiggins, Assistant Public Defender, Tallahassee, for appellant.
Charlie Crist, Attorney General; Thomas H. Duffy, Assistant Attorney General; Tallahassee, for appellee. ' '
. "Paraphilia” is variously defined as "aberrant sexual activity; sexual deviation; expression of the sexual instinct in practices which are socially prohibited or unacceptable, or biologically undesirable.” Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary 967 (26th ed.1985).

Opinion:
WOLF, C.J.
Appellant raises five issues challenging his civil commitment under part V of chapter 394, Florida Statutes (commonly referred to as the "Jimmy Ryce Act"). We find none of the issues raised have merit, but we briefly -comment on one: whether Florida's Jimmy Ryce Act which provides for involuntary civil commitment of sexually violent predators violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to include the least restrictive alternatives to qualified persons with disabilities. Whilé we seriously question whether Congress intended the Americans with Disabilities' Act to provide protection to sexually violent predators, we find it is unnecessary to reach that issue because we find the following passage from Westerheide v. State, 831 So.2d 93 (Fla.2002), to be dispositive:
[T]he statutory definition of a sexually violent predator renders less' restrictive alternatives inapplicable...: The statute requires a determination by clear and convincing evidence that the person is a sexually violent predator,- that is, the person "[sjuffers from a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the person likely to engage in acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility for long-term control, care, and treatment." § 394.912(10)(b), Fla. Stat. (2001) (emphasis added). Thus; if the person is amenable to less restrictive alternative treatment he or she does not meet the statutory definition of a sexually violent predator and is not subject to commitment under the Ryce Act.
Id. at 103 (emphasis in original).
The decision of the trial court is affirmed.
VAN NORTWICK, J., concurs; ERVIN, J., concurs'with opinion.