STATE OF FLORIDA, PETITIONER,
v.
ADONIS ROBINSON, RESPONDENT
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The Florida Supreme Court reviewed a District Court of Appeal decision affecting the jurisdiction and authority of justices of the peace statewide. The Court approved the District Court's holding that a justice of the peace lacked authority to issue a search warrant under the existing rule, but clarified and amended the procedural rule to eliminate ambiguity regarding judicial substitution and assignment authority.
The Court held that the District Court's decision was substantially correct: the justice of the peace in that case lacked authority under the rule as it then existed because the rule's inclusion of justices of the peace was erroneous given that there is only one justice of the peace per court (unlike other courts mentioned). The Court amended the rule to clarify that judicial substitution requires assignment by the Chief Justice except when multiple judges of the same court are available.
“The inclusion of justices of the peace within the purview of the rule as presently in effect was improvident for the reason that, under the Constitution of this State, there is but one justice of the peace for each justice of the peace court.”
Establishes the Court's reasoning for why the rule's reference to justices of the peace was erroneous and should be treated as surplusage
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceA justice of the peace was asked to issue a search warrant in a case. The District Court of Appeal addressed whether the justice of the peace had auth…
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The State seeks review of a decision of the District Court of Appeal, Second District,1 under the authority of Article V, Section 4, of the Constitution of the State of Florida, F.S.A., providing that this Court may review by certiorari any decision of a district court of appeal which affects a class of constitutional or state officers. We hold the subject decision of the District Court *157falls in the designated category affecting as it did the jurisdiction and duties of all justices of the peace of this state and that we have jurisdiction in this cause.
We have carefully examined the decision of the District Court of Appeal and we are of the view that the decision, with two exceptions which we shall discuss, is correct and should be approved.
Reference is made in the decision to Section 37.22, Florida Statutes 1959, F.S.A. and to Florida Appellate Rule 2.1, subd. a (4) (i), 31 F.S.A.
The inclusion of justices of the peace within the purview of the rule as presently in effect was improvident for the reason that, under the Constitution of this State,2 there is but one justice of the peace for each justice of the peace court. This is not necessarily true as to other courts of this state or to the other courts referred to in the rule. For instance, there may be more than one judge of a small claims court, a juvenile court or a traffic court. The purpose of the first sentence of the rule was to provide that, in those courts having more than one judge, any judge available and qualified to act was authorized to do so without designation by the chief justice of this Court. The use of the words “justice of the peace” therefore in this connection was obviously erroneous and should be treated as surplusage.
It has been the uniform policy of this Court, since the effective date of present Article V of the Constitution, in all cases where a justice of the peace was unable to act because of absence, sickness, disqualification or other disability to designate some other justice of the peace or other qualified judge to act for him pursuant to the provisions of Article V, Section 2, of the Florida Constitution which authorizes the Chief Justice of this Court, in accordance with its rules, to assign “judges of other courts, except municipal courts, to judicial service in any court of the same or lesser jurisdiction.” In order, however, to clear up this ambiguity in the rules and to clarify the question, the Court has simultaneously with the adoption of this opinion amended the aforesaid rule to read as follows, to wit:
“(i) When the judge of any small claims court, juvenile court or traffic court is unable to perform the duties of his office because of absence, sickness, disqualification or other cause or when necessary for the prompt dispatch of the business of said court, the said judge or the clerk of said court shall advise the Chief Justice who may assign any judge (except Supreme Court Justices, District Court judges or circuit judges) of any other court of the same or greater jurisdiction to perform the duties of said judge for such time as the Chief Justice may direct; provided, however, that if there be more than one judge of a small claims court, juvenile court or traffic court available and qualified, he shall perform the duties of the disabled or disqualified judge.
“Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to affect any provision of the statutes in this state in effect on July 1, 1957 which in event of disqualification, absence, sickness or disability of the judge of a separate juvenile court or *158a county judge who is also judge of juvenile court in his county, authorize the substitution of county judges and circuit judges for judges of separate juvenile courts, and the substitution of circuit judges for county judges in those counties where there is no separate juvenile court and the county judge is the juvenile court judge.
“When any justice of the peace of this state is unable to perform the duties of his office because of absence, sickness, disqualification or other cause or when necessary for the prompt dispatch of business of said court, the said justice of the peace or his clerk, if he shall have such, shall advise the Chief Justice who may assign any other justice of the peace or any judge (except Supreme Court Justices, District Court of Appeal judges or circuit judges) of any other court of this state having the same or greater jurisdiction to perform the duties of said justice of the peace for such time as the Chief Justice may direct.”
In view of the foregoing, that portion of the decision of the District Court, holding that the subject rule as it existed at the time said decision was written did not authorize the justice of the peace in that case to issue the search warrant there involved and that Section 933.01, Florida Statutes 1959, F.S.A., was controlling, is correct when applied to the factual situation in this case as the same appears in the District Court decision.
We deem it also pertinent to point out that Section 37.22, Florida Statutes 1959, F.S.A., quoted on page 716 of 124 So.2d is no longer effective in the absence of an order of this Court designating such substituted judge, justice of the peace or county judge to act for such absent, disabled or disqualified justice of the peace. Such statute is a procedural one conflicting with the rules of this Court adopted pursuant to the Constitution3 and is, therefore, no longer effective.
The decision of the District Court is hereby modified to the extent set forth in this opinion; in all other respects said decision is hereby approved and confirmed and the writ of certiorari heretofore issued in said cause is to such extent hereby dismissed.
ROBERTS, C. J., and TERRELL, HOB-SON, and O’CONNELL, JJ., concur.
THOMAS and THORNAL, JJ., dissent.
(dissenting).
I dissent on the ground that I have the view that this case merely involved the improper exercise of power by a justice of the peace in Pinellas County. If we can take jurisdiction here we could conceivably do so in every case in which any judge exceeds the limits of its power. I do not think the Constitution contemplates such a broad interpretation of the provision here involved. With respect for the views of the majority I am bound to dissent.
THOMAS, J., concurs.
THORNAL, Justice
(dissenting).
I dissent on the ground that I have the view that this case merely involved the improper exercise of power by a justice of the peace in Pinellas County. If we can take jurisdiction here we could conceivably do so in every case in which any judge exceeds the limits of its power. I do not think the Constitution contemplates such a broad interpretation of the provision here involved. With respect for the views of the majority I am bound to dissent.
THOMAS, J., concurs.
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Richardson v. State, 246 So. 2d 771 (Fla. 1971)…decisions which, in the ultimate, would affect all constitutional or state officers exercising the [*774] same powers, even though only one of such officers might be involved in the particular litigation.” To like effect is State v. Robinson, Fla., 132 So. 2d 156. The decision below in the ultimate affects all prosecuting attorneys insofar as it interprets their duties in connection with compliance with Rules of Criminal Procedure promulgated by this Court, and- all trial judges when called upon to interpre…
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Tyson v. Lanier, 156 So. 2d 833 (Fla. 1963)…w of the foregoing discussion jurisdiction on the conflict theory is difficult to determine, but on the theory that the decision affects a class of constitutional officers, that is to say, tax assessors, it is clear. In State v. Robinson, Fla.1961, 132 So. 2d 156, we had a case similar to this in that it involved a' single justice of the peace. The taxing officers of Osceola County are parties to this suit but it involves indirectly all taxing officers throughout the state. Since tax assessors are constituti…
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Fla. State Bd. OF Health v. Lewis, 149 So. 2d 41 (Fla. 1963)…us purpose of the provision in question was to permit this Court to review a decision which directly affects one state officer and in so doing similarly affects every other state officer in the same category. For example, in State v. Robinson, Fla., 132 So. 2d 156, this Court took jurisdiction of a decision of a District Court of Appeal, 124 So. 2d 714, which affected the duties of a particular justice of the peace. In the view of the majority the justification for so doing was that the decision was sufficien…
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
- Ronnick v. Cmty. Homes, Inc., 124 So. 2d 714 (Fla. 2d DCA 1960)
- Adonis Robinson v. State, 124 So. 2d 714 (Fla. 2d DCA 1960)
- State v. Adonis Robinson, 132 So. 2d 159 (Fla. 1961)