Florida Department of Children & Families v. Davis
Florida Department of Children & Families v. Davis
Opinion of the Court
Confession of Error
The Florida Department of Children & Families has filed a petition for writ of certiorari, seeking to quash a portion of a commitment order. We grant the petition.
The Department does object, however, to the following language which the trial court included in its order:
6. This Court hereby recommends that the Defendant be placed at South Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center [“SFETC”].
7. The Defendant shall not be transferred to any state hospital other than SFETC without the prior authorization of this Court.
Order, Sept. 22, 2005.
The Department argues that under the applicable statute, the court may commit a defendant to the Department, but cannot designate the specific facility in which the Department determines to place the defendant. See § 916.13(2), Fla. Stat. (2005); Quiala v. State, 659 So.2d 287 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994). The defendant concedes that this is so.
We see no problem with paragraph six because it is merely a nonbinding recommendation that the defendant be placed at SFETC. We quash paragraph seven, which in effect bars the Department from placing the defendant at any facility other than SFETC.
Certiorari granted.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.