Title: In re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases Instruction 8.25
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC13-2453
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: June 26, 2014

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
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No. SC13-2453 
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IN RE:  STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES—
INSTRUCTION 8.25. 
 
[June 26, 2014] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal 
Cases (Committee) has submitted proposed changes to the standard jury 
instructions and asks that the Court authorize for publication and use new 
instruction 8.25 (Violation of a Condition of Pretrial Release from a Domestic 
Violence Charge).  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
 
The Committee proposed new instruction 8.25 because there is no existing 
standard instruction for the crime as defined in section 741.29(6), Florida Statutes 
(2013).1  The pertinent statute provides as follows:  “A person who willfully 
                                          
 
 
1.  The Committee’s proposal to add new jury instruction 8.25 was proposed 
under case number SC13-1254.  The Court severed instruction 8.25 from case 
number SC13-1254 and directed the Committee to file its proposal in case number 
SC13-2453.  When originally published by the Committee, one comment was 
received, from the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association.  While the proposed 
 
 
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violates a condition of pretrial release provided in s. 903.047, when the original 
arrest was for an act of domestic violence as defined in s. 741.28, commits a 
misdemeanor of the first degree . . . .”  § 741.29(6), Fla. Stat. (2013). 
 
Having considered the Committee’s report and the comments submitted to 
the Committee and the Court, we amend the standard jury instructions as proposed 
by the Committee.  Element number two to instruction 8.25—i.e., “Before [his] 
[her] trial, (defendant’s) release on the domestic violence charge was set with a 
condition of (insert condition of pretrial release in Fla. Stat. 903.047)”— reflects 
the interpretation that one can violate a condition of pretrial release before being 
released from jail. 
New instruction 8.25, as set forth in the appendix to this opinion, is hereby 
authorized for publication and use.  In authorizing the publication and use of this 
instruction, we express no opinion on its correctness and remind all interested 
parties that this authorization forecloses neither requesting additional or alternative 
instructions nor contesting the legal correctness of the instruction.  We further 
caution all interested parties that any comments associated with the instruction 
reflect only the opinion of the Committee and are not necessarily indicative of the 
                                                                                                                                        
instruction was pending under case number SC13-1254, the Florida Public 
Defender Association filed a comment with the Court.  
 
 
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views of this Court as to their correctness or applicability.  The instruction as set 
forth in the appendix shall become effective when this opinion becomes final. 
 
It is so ordered. 
POLSTON, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, LABARGA, 
and PERRY, JJ., concur.  
 
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND 
IF FILED, DETERMINED. 
 
Original Proceeding – Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in 
Criminal Cases  
 
Honorable Joseph A. Bulone, Chair, Clearwater, Florida, and Honorable 
Jacqueline Hogan Scola, Past Chair, Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases 
Committee, Miami, Florida, and Bart Schneider, Senior Attorney, Office of State 
Court Administrator, Tallahassee, Florida,  
 
for Petitioner 
 
 
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APPENDIX 
8.25 VIOLATION OF A CONDITION OF PRETRIAL RELEASE FROM A 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGE 
§ 741.29(6), Fla. Stat. 
 
 
To prove the crime of Violation of a Condition of Pretrial Release from 
a Domestic Violence Charge, the State must prove the following four elements 
beyond a reasonable doubt: 
 
1. 
(Defendant) was arrested for an act of domestic violence. 
 
2. 
Before [his] [her] trial, (defendant’s) release on the domestic 
violence charge was set with a condition of (insert condition of 
pretrial release in Fla. Stat. 903.047). 
 
3.        (Defendant) knew that a condition of [his] [her] pretrial release 
was (insert condition). 
 
4.       (Defendant) willfully violated that condition of pretrial release by 
(insert the manner in which the defendant is alleged to have violated 
pretrial release). 
 
Definitions. 
          § 741.28, Fla. Stat. 
“Domestic violence” means any assault, aggravated assault, battery, 
aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated 
stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in 
physical injury or death of one family or household member by another 
family or household member. 
 
“Family or household members” means spouses, former spouses, 
persons related by blood or marriage, persons who are presently residing 
together as if a family or who have resided together in the past as if a family, 
and persons who are parents of a child in common regardless of whether they 
have been married. With the exception of persons who have a child in 
common, the family or household members must be currently residing or 
have in the past resided together in the same single dwelling unit. 
 
Patterson v. State, 512 So. 2d 1109 (Fla. 1st DCA 1987).  
 
 
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“Willfully” means knowingly, intentionally and purposely. 
 
Lesser Included Offenses 
 
VIOLATION OF A CONDITION OF PRETRIAL RELEASE FROM A 
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGE—741.29(6) 
CATEGORY 
ONE 
CATEGORY 
TWO 
FLA. STAT. 
INS. NO. 
None 
 
 
 
 
Attempt 
777.04(1) 
 
5.1 
 
Comment 
 
This instruction was adopted in 2014.