JUVENILE 
                    DELINQUENCY 
                     BENCHBOOK 
                              Florida 
                           June 2021  
                                    
                                                  
          
              Office of the State Courts Administrator 
                                    
                                    
                                    
         This project was supported by Grant No. RCC 500, awarded by Office of 
         Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, 
         U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view in this document are those of 
         the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or 
         policies of the funding agency and/or entity. 
                                                               
                       INTRODUCTION 
        
           Education enhances the knowledge and skills of the judiciary and 
       therefore contributes to the administration of justice. To further assist in the 
       administration of justice, the Office of the State Courts Administrator, Office of 
       Court Improvement, has developed this benchbook to address juvenile 
       delinquency in Florida. The benchbook was developed to assist both new and 
       experienced judges in Florida who are assigned to hear juvenile delinquency 
       cases. 
            
           The benchbook is organized into a ‘General Topics’ section followed by 
       chapters corresponding with the juvenile delinquency hearings provided for in 
       Chapter 985. Each hearing chapter also has a corresponding hearing 
       benchcard. The General Topics section introduces many important ancillary 
       issues that will be encountered by the court. The citations in this benchbook 
       have been abbreviated to improve text flow. For example, a citation to section 
       985.01, Florida Statutes, will appear as § 985.01 and a citation to the Florida 
       Rules of Juvenile Procedure 8.000 will appear as Rule 8.000. 
        
           Our office intends to update and supplement this book periodically. 
       Accordingly, we invite suggestions regarding topics that need more detailed 
       treatment and ways that this publication can be made more useful to judges 
       hearing delinquency cases. Please provide comments and suggestions to 
       Kathleen Tailer in the Office of Court Improvement, Supreme Court Building, 
       500 South Duval Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-1900, 
       Tailerk@flcourts.org, or (850) 922-9337. 
        
       Upon request by a qualified individual with a disability, this document will be 
       made available in alternate formats. To order this document in an alternate 
       format, please contact the Office of Court Improvement, Supreme Court 
       Building, 500 South Duval Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-1900. Phone: 
       850.414.1507. 
                               
                               
                               
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
                                    
        
            2021 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY BENCHBOOK 
        
       Table of Contents 
       Introduction .................................................................................... i 
       Acknowledgements ......................................................................... ii 
       Delinquency Case Flow Chart ......................................................... xi 
       Overview of the Florida Juvenile Delinquency Process .................... 1 
       Common Acronyms ......................................................................... 3 
        
       Delinquency Hearings 
       Detention Hearing at a Glance ........................................................ 4 
       Detention Hearing Benchcard ......................................................... 6 
       Detention Hearing Outline .............................................................. 9 
       Arraignment Hearing at a Glance .................................................. 17 
       Arraignment Hearing Benchcard ................................................... 19 
       Arraignment Hearing Outline ........................................................ 22 
       Adjudicatory Hearing at a Glance .................................................. 31 
       Adjudicatory Hearing Benchcard ................................................... 32 
       Adjudicatory Hearing Outline ........................................................ 35 
       Disposition Hearing at a Glance .................................................... 45 
       Disposition Hearing Benchcard ..................................................... 46 
       Disposition Hearing Outline .......................................................... 49 
       Violation of Probation Hearing at a Glance .................................... 60 
       Violation of Probation Hearing Benchcard ..................................... 61 
       Violation of Probation Hearing Outline .......................................... 63 
       Contempt of Court Hearing at a Glance ......................................... 70 
       Contempt of Court Hearing Benchcard .......................................... 71 
       Contempt of Court Hearing Outline ............................................... 74 
       Waiver of Jurisdiction Hearing at a Glance .................................... 83 
       Waiver of Jurisdiction Hearing Benchcard ..................................... 84 
       Waiver of Jurisdiction Hearing Outline .......................................... 86 
       Restitution Hearing at a Glance .................................................... 92 
       Restitution Hearing Benchcard ..................................................... 93 
       Restitution Hearting Outline ......................................................... 95