R. C. GREER, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1978-02-07
No. 76-1772
Before PEARSON, HENDRY and NATHAN, JJ.
354 So. 2d 952 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1978) Caution
Cited by 32 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

R.C. Greer was convicted of burglary for unlawfully entering the parking area (curtilage) of a commercial business with intent to commit larceny. The appellate court affirmed, holding that burglary statutes apply to curtilage of commercial structures, not just dwellings.


Holding

The court held that burglary statutes apply to unlawful entry into the curtilage of commercial structures as well as dwellings. The unlawful entry into the parking lot surrounding the business structure with intent to commit larceny constituted burglary, regardless that appellant did not enter the structure itself. The alleged variance between the charge and proof was without merit.


Headnotes

[1] Burglary occurs when a person enters or remains in a structure or conveyance with the intent to commit an offense therein, unless the premises are open to the public or t…

[2] The term "structure" for purposes of burglary includes the curtilage surrounding the structure.

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Key Quotes

“'Burglary' means entering or remaining in a structure or a conveyance with the intent to commit an offense therein, unless the premises are at the time open to the public or the defendant is licensed or invited to enter or remain.”

Statutory definition of burglary establishing that entry into any structure with criminal intent constitutes the offense

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Facts & Procedural History

Appellant was observed climbing over a six-foot wall into an enclosed parking area surrounding a Courtesy Ford business structure. Police found him hi…

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Opinion of the Court
HENDRY, Judge.

HENDRY, Judge.

Appellant was charged with and convicted of burglary, in violation of Section 810.-02, Florida Statutes (1975). He appeals his conviction and sentence.

The evidence showed that appellant was seen as he climbed over a six-foot wall into the enclosed parking area which surrounds the business structure in which Courtesy Ford, Inc. conducts its operations. Upon arrival, police found appellant hiding under a van in the parking area. There was no evidence of actual entry into the building itself.

The primary point for our consideration is whether the trial court erred in denying appellant’s motion for judgment of acquittal in light of Sections 810.02 and 810.-011(1), Florida Statutes (1975). More specifically, appellant contends that the term “curtilage” has meaningful applications when associated only with a dwelling and can not be applied sub judice, where the information charged and the evidence showed only that appellant had unlawfully entered the parking area of a commercial establishment with the intent to commit an offense therein.

In light of the clear language of Sections 810.02 and 810.011, Florida Statutes (1975), we must reject appellant’s contention. Section 810.02 provides:

“(1) ‘Burglary’ means entering or remaining in a structure or a conveyance with the intent to commit an offense therein, unless the premises are at the time open to the public or the defendant is licensed or invited to enter or remain.” [Emphasis added.]

Pursuant to Section 810.011, “structure” is defined as:

“any building of any kind, either temporary or permanent, which has a roof over it, together with the curtilage thereof.” [Emphasis added.]

Accordingly, the unlawful entry of appellant into the parking lot (curtilage) surrounding the business structure with intent to commit an offense (larceny) was a burglary, notwithstanding the fact that appellant did not enter the structure and the curtilage was of a business property and not a dwelling.

The other point raised by appellant is addressed to an alleged “fatal variance” between the charge stated in the information and the proof adduced at trial. After considering this point, we find it to be without merit. Fitzgerald v. State, 227 So. 2d 45 (Fla. 3d DCA 1969).

Therefore, the judgment and sentence are affirmed.

Affirmed.

Dissent
PEARSON, Judge

PEARSON, Judge

(dissenting).

The opinion of the majority appears to me to be a noble attempt to remedy a faulty statute. While I cannot quarrel with the public policy involved or the wholesome effect of the holding, I must, in intellectual honesty, point out that there is no way that the legal term “curtilage”1 can be inter preted to mean an industrial plant surrounded by a wall. See Powelson v. Lake Placid Co., 281 App.Div. 1054, 121 N.Y.S.2d 139 (1953); and Turknett v. State, 254 P. 985 (Okl.Cr.1927).

. “In its most comprehensive and proper legal signification, it [curtilage] includes all that space of ground and buildings thereon which is usually inclosed within the general fence immediately surrounding a principal messuage [dwelling house] and outbuildings, and yard closely adjoining to a dwelling-house, but it may be large enough for cattle to be levant and couchant therein. 1 Chit. Gen.Pr. 175.” Black’s Law Dictionary (4th Ed. 1957).

“A small court, yard, garth, or piece of ground attached to a dwelling-house, and forming one enclosure with it, or so regarded by the law; the area attached to and containing a dwelling-house and its out-buildings. Now mostly a legal or formal term, but in popular use in the south-west, where it is pronounced, and often written, courtledge.” Oxford English Dictionary, vol. II (1933).


Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus


Citator

Cited By (15 total)

  • State v. Hamilton, 660 So. 2d 1038 (Fla. 1995)
    …fter cutting lock off gate to a fence surrounding business); DeGeorge v. State, 358 So. 2d 217 (Fla. 4th DCA 1978) (defendant removed motors from boats parked on paved area of premises partially enclosed by a fence and a brick wall); Greer v. State, 354 So. 2d 952 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1978) (defendant climbed over a six-foot wall into enclosed parking area surrounding business structure.) But see J.E.S. v. State, 453 So. 2d 168 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984) (defendant stole bicycle from driveway, which was determined to be wi…
    1 / 2
  • T.J.T. v. State, 460 So. 2d 508 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984)
    …ng of any kind, either temporary or permanent, which has a roof over it, together with the curtilage thereof. The "curtilage” has been defined as the area surrounding any building. Sealey v. State, 379 So. 2d 430 (Fla. 2d DCA 1980); Greer v. State, 354 So. 2d 952 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978). . E.g., Perez v. State, 390 So. 2d 85 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980); Pack v. State, 381 So. 2d 1199 (Fla. 2d DCA 1980); J.H. v. State, 370 So. 2d 1219 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979), cert. denied, 379 So. 2d 209 (Fla. 1980); Lockett v. State, 262 So.…
    1 / 2
  • Valentino DeGEORGE v. State, 358 So. 2d 217 (Fla. 4th DCA 1978)
    …conviction of attempted grand larceny and find no error. The decision herein appealed is affirmed. AFFIRMED. DOWNEY and DAUKSCH, JJ., concur. . On the eve of publication of this opinion the Third District Court of Appeal decided Greer v. State, 354 So. 2d 952 (Fla.App. 1978), which held that the term “curtilage” properly applies to the area surrounding a business structure. . Id.…

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