JENNIFER BAKOS, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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The court held that restitution awards must be supported by evidence proving a direct or indirect causal link between the defendant's offense and the loss, and that losses outside the alleged timeframe are not recoverable.
[1] Restitution may be awarded for losses caused directly or indirectly by the defendant's offense, provided the state establishes a significant relationship between the loss…
[2] Restitution cannot be awarded for losses that occur outside the time period alleged in the charging instrument.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe appellant was convicted of theft and related offenses. The victim sought restitution for various items, including jewelry and cash. The appellant …
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MAY, MELANIE G., Associate Judge.
The single issue in this appeal is the amount of restitution awarded to the victim in this case. The appellant pled no contest to a four-count Information that had alleged grand theft, grand theft auto, fraudulent use of a credit card, and exploiting an elderly person. The Information alleged that the appellant had lived with the victim as a caretaker. Over a specific period of time, including a period where the victim was hospitalized, the appellant had taken and/or used items belonging to the victim without her permission.
The appellant admitted that she owed restitution for certain items, but raised three reasons why she should not be held responsible for certain enumerated items for which the victim sought restitution. First, she argued that the value of some items was not proven; second, some of the missing items fell outside of the dates alleged in the Information; and third, the evidence did not support the defendant having taken certain items.
We have reviewed the laundry list of items and the testimony presented in support of the requested restitution. After sorting through the wash, we find that the appellant’s position is consistent with the law on restitution as to a number of the items at issue. As to the items enumerated below and for the reasons set forth below, we reverse in part.
Section 775.089 provides for restitution “caused directly or indirectly by the defendant’s offense.” Fla. Stat. § 775.089(l)(a) (1995). The State must establish by a preponderance of the evidence that a significant relationship existed between the loss and the defendant’s actions. Moore v. State, 623 So. 2d 842 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993). Restitution cannot be awarded for losses which occur outside the time alleged in the Information. Stewart v. State, 629 So. 2d 982 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993). And, while the Court is not restricted to fair market value in determining restitution, it should consider the fair market value through direct testimony or evidence of the original cost, the use of the item, and its condition at the time of the theft. State v. Hawthorne, 573 So. 2d 330 (Fla.1991); Domaceti v. State, 616 So. 2d 1148 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993).
The victim claimed restitution for a gold herringbone bracelet and two necklaces that were purchased approximately ten years ago for $100 apiece. The victim testified to the original cost at which she also currently valued the items, but there was no testimony as to the depreciation of the items or their condition at the time of the theft. The victim testified that a pair of heart-shaped earrings had been purchased by her husband for $180. The victim also claimed restitution for another seven pairs of gold earrings. In support of her claim on these “other” earrings, she testified that “they were all good earrings and they were the only ones I had, and there was no earrings left in my jewelry box at all when I got out of the hospital.” There was no testimony concerning their purchase price, condition, or value at the time of the theft.
We find the testimony concerning the bracelet, the two necklaces, and the heart-shaped earrings sufficient for value purposes to sustain the restitution award. Hawthorne, 573 So. 2d at 330; Anderson v. State, 649 So. 2d 890 (Fla. 2d DCA 1995). However, the evidence concerning the “other gold earrings” was insufficient to establish value and for that reason, the award for this amount is reversed.
The victim claimed restitution for a check written by the appellant in the amount of $500 on the victim’s account. However, the theft did not occur during the time alleged in the Information. As such, this item is not recoverable. Mansingh v. State, 588 So. 2d 636 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991); Stewart, 629 So. 2d at 982.
The victim also claimed restitution for a check for $100, a $177 cash refund from Walgreens, and $240 in cash missing from her wallet. The testimony clearly revealed that persons other than the appellant had access to the areas where these checks and monies had been kept and there was no evidence linking this defendant to those missing items. In addition, while there was sufficient testimony concerning the value of the heart-shaped earrings, no one could establish that the appellant had ever been seen with them. These earrings were also kept in an area where persons other than the appellant had access. For this reason and under the authority of Moore and Mansingh, these items should be deleted from the restitution awarded to the victim.
The restitution order and judgment is therefore reversed in part, and the cause remanded to the trial court to correct the amount of restitution awarded consistent with this opinion.
REVERSED IN PART and REMANDED.
GUNTHER and FARMER, JJ., concur.
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Citator
Cited By
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Aboyoun v. State, 842 So. 2d 238 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003)…e manner in which the property was used, its condition, and depreciation. Id. Moreover, a property owner is generally qualified to testify regarding the fair market value of his or her property. Hawthorne, 573 So. 2d at 333 n. 6. In Bakos v. State, 698 So. 2d 943, 944 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997), the Fourth District concluded that testimony from the victim regarding the purchase price of gold jewelry purchased ten years earlier, which she also opined was its current value, was sufficient to sustain the restitution a…
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Gonzalez v. State, 40 So. 3d 86 (Fla. 4th DCA 2010)…, it should consider the fair market value through direct testimony or evidence of the original cost, the use of the item, and its condition at the time of the theft.” Jackson v. State, 711 So. 2d 602, 603 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998) (citing Bakos v. State, 698 So. 2d 943, 944 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997)). But see, Wolff, 981 So. 2d at 653 (finding the trial court erred in basing restitution on replacement value rather than fair market value). Third, a victim’s testimony on the value of items stolen or damages can be suffic…
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Yaun v. State, 898 So. 2d 1016 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005)…ed to further the purposes of restitution); A.G. v. State, 718 So. 2d 854, 856 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998) (holding that victim, as owner, was qualified to testify as to the value of property stolen from him, particularly a family heirloom); Bakos v. State, 698 So. 2d 943 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997) (concluding that the victim’s testimony was sufficient evidence of the value of the items for which restitution was sought); Anderson v. State, 649 So. 2d 890 (Fla. 2d DCA 1995) (holding that trial judge acted within his discreti…
Previewing 3 of 8 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- State v. Hawthorne, 573 So. 2d 330 (Fla. 1991)
- Mansingh v. State, 588 So. 2d 636 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991)
- Anderson v. State, 649 So. 2d 890 (Fla. 2d DCA 1995)
- Domaceti v. State, 616 So. 2d 1148 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993)
- Moore v. State, 623 So. 2d 842 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993)
- Stewart v. State, 629 So. 2d 982 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993)