Title: In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC16-2239
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: April 27, 2017

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC16-2239 
____________ 
 
 
IN RE:  STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES—
REPORT 2016-12. 
 
[April 27, 2017] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
The Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal 
Cases (Committee) has submitted a report proposing amendments to one existing 
instruction and the addition of one new instruction.  The Committee requests that 
the Court authorize its proposals for publication and use.  We have jurisdiction.  
See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const. 
 
The Committee proposes amending existing instruction 21.15 (False 
Information to Law Enforcement), and adopting new instruction 29.26 (Unlawful 
Use of a Two-Way Communications Device).  Following publication of its 
proposals, two comments were received by the Committee.  The Committee 
considered the comments, but did not make the recommended changes. 
 
 
- 2 - 
 
The more significant changes to the standard criminal jury instructions 
include the following.  As amended, existing instruction 21.15 (False Information 
to Law Enforcement), which covers the crime of knowingly giving false 
information to a law enforcement officer who is conducting a missing person or a 
felony criminal investigation, adds the sentence, “The court instructs you that 
(name of crime) is a felony.”  Next, as adopted, new instruction 29.26 (Unlawful 
Use of a Two-Way Communications Device) instructs upon the crime as set forth 
in section 934.215, Florida Statutes (2016), and includes the two elements that 
track the language of the statute.  The instruction further provides that the 
identified felony is a felony. 
Having considered the Committee’s report and the comments to the 
proposals, the proposed amendments to jury instruction 21.15 and new instruction 
29.26, as set forth in the appendix to this opinion, are hereby authorized for 
publication and use.1  New language is indicated by underlining, and deleted 
language is indicated by struck-through type.  In authorizing the publication and 
use of these instructions, we express no opinion as to their correctness and remind 
                                          
 
 
1.  The amendments as reflected in the appendix are to the Criminal Jury 
Instructions as they appear on the Court’s website at www.floridasupremecourt.org 
/jury_instructions/instructions.shtml.  We recognize that there may be minor 
discrepancies between the instructions as they appear on the website and the 
published versions of the instructions.  Any discrepancies as to instructions 
authorized for publication and use after October 25, 2007, should be resolved by 
reference to the published opinion of this Court authorizing the instruction. 
 
 
- 3 - 
all interested parties that this authorization forecloses neither requesting additional 
or alternative instructions nor contesting the legal correctness of the instructions.  
We further caution all interested parties that any comments associated with the 
instructions reflect only the opinion of the Committee and are not necessarily 
indicative of the views of this Court as to their correctness or applicability.  The 
instructions as set forth in the appendix shall become effective when this opinion 
becomes final. 
 
It is so ordered. 
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, 
and LAWSON, 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 
 
Judge F. Rand Wallis, Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury 
Instructions in Criminal Cases, Daytona Beach, Florida; and Bart Schneider, Staff 
Liaison, Office of the State Courts Administrator, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
 
for Petitioner 
 
 
 
 
 
 
- 4 - 
APPENDIX 
21.15 FALSE INFORMATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT 
§ 837.055(1), Fla. Stat. 
 
To prove the crime of False Information to Law Enforcement, the State 
must prove the following five elements beyond a reasonable doubt: 
1. 
(Name of law enforcement officer) was conducting a [missing 
person investigation] [felony criminal investigation]. 
2. 
(Name of law enforcement officer) was a law enforcement officer. 
3. 
(Defendant) knew that (name of law enforcement officer) was a law 
enforcement officer. 
4. 
(Defendant) knowingly and willfully gave false information to 
(name of law enforcement officer). 
5. 
(Defendant) intended to mislead (name of law enforcement officer) 
or impede the investigation. 
Definition. 
Patterson v. State, 512 So. 2d 1109 (Fla. 1stst DCA 1987). 
“Willfully” means intentionally, knowingly and purposely. 
Give if applicable. Felony criminal investigation. 
The court instructs you that (name of crime) is a felony. 
Lesser Included Offenses 
 
FALSE INFORMATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT — 837.055(1) 
CATEGORY ONE 
CATEGORY TWO 
FLA. STAT. 
INS. NO. 
None 
 
 
 
 
Attempt  
777.04(1) 
5.1 
 
Comments 
If there is a dispute about whether the law enforcement officer was 
investigating a felony as opposed to a misdemeanor, the court might consider 
instructing jurors on the elements of the felony. 
 
 
- 5 - 
As of November 2016, there wasThere is no case law regarding the 
definition of “law enforcement officer.” 
This instruction was adopted in 2008 [995 So. 2d 489] and amended in 2013 
[131 So. 3d 755] and 2017. 
 
29.26 UNLAWFUL USE OF A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE 
§ 934.215, Fla. Stat. 
 
To prove the crime of Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications 
Device, the State must prove the following two elements beyond a reasonable 
doubt: 
1. 
(Defendant) used a two-way communications device. 
2. 
[He] [She] did so for the purpose of facilitating or furthering the 
commission of a felony. 
Give if applicable. 
The Court instructs you that (name of felony) is a felony. 
Give if requested. 
The term “two-way communications device” includes, but is not limited 
to a portable two-way wireless device.  
Lesser Included Offenses 
 
UNLAWFUL USE OF A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION DEVICE 
— 934.215 
CATEGORY ONE 
CATEGORY TWO 
FLA. STAT. 
INS. NO. 
None 
 
 
 
 
Attempt 
777.04(1) 
5.1 
 
Comments 
As of November 2016, there was no definition in the statutes or case law for 
“two-way communications device.” 
If there is a dispute about whether the defendant was facilitating or 
furthering the commission of a felony as opposed to a misdemeanor, the court 
might consider instructing jurors on the elements of the felony. 
 
 
- 6 - 
This instruction was adopted in 2017.