Opinion ID: 1661221
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: can a conviction for aggravated battery serve as a prior conviction for battery for purposes of section 784.03(2), florida statutes?

Text: See State v. Warren, 755 So.2d at 147. The district court noted the Legislature's placement of the definitions of battery and felony battery in the same section of chapter 784, Florida Statutes, (section 784.03), but further noted that the definition of aggravated battery is placed in a separate section, 784.045, Florida Statutes (1997). Therefore, that court reasoned, the Legislature intended the term battery, as used throughout the statute, to denote only misdemeanor battery and that misdemeanor battery is the only battery that could be used for reclassification under section 784.03(2). Thus, the First District affirmed, [b]ecause battery as defined in the plain language of the statute is classified as a misdemeanor offense and because the interpretation given to the statute by the trial court does not create an absurd or unreasonable result and is more favorable to the accused. Warren, 755 So.2d at 147. The court also certified the question that we now consider.