5.  FLORIDA STATUTES

5.1  Authority

     Whenever possible, cite to the official codification of Florida law, the Florida Statutes. For laws that are not available in the official code, or when desired for clarity or adoption reference, cite in accordance with Florida Rule of Appellate Procedure9.800. Beginning in 1999, the Florida Statutes have been published in their entirety annually. In the years predating 1999, they were published bi-annually following each odd-year regular session and a supplement was published following each even-year regular session.

5.2  Chapters

     A chapter in the Florida Statutes represents all of the relevant statutory law on a particular subject. While the legislature may create specific chapters, the legislature’s Division of Statutory Revision has the final authority to determine where the legislation will be codified. This is why some laws do not appear in the statutes where the bill identifies their placement. A detailed explanation of the codification procedure can be found in the beginning of any volume of the Florida Statutes. A chapter in the Florida Statutes is not a session law chapter.

5.3  Sections

     Each chapter of the Florida Statutes is further divided into sections. The legislature’s Division of Statutory Revision has the final authority over the location of the sections within the chapters. The Division provides numerous cross-reference tables in each volume of the statutes. A section in the Florida Statutes is not a session law section.

5.4   In Text

(a) General Form

Legal Documents:

►    Section 95.11(3)(c), Florida Statutes (2000), governs the statute of limitations for any action founded on the design, planning, or construction of improvements to real property.

     Use the abbreviated citation form of the Florida Statutes in the text of legal documents when the citation is intended to stand alone.

►    The statute of limitations for any action founded on the design, planning, or construction of improvements to real property is four years. See§ 95.11(3)(c), Fla. Stat. (2000). 

Scholarly Works:

     When referring to the Florida Statutes in the text of a scholarly article or in textual discussion in footnotes, the Bluebook recommends the following form in Rule 2.2:

►    Section 95.11(3)(c) of the Florida Statutesgoverns the statute of limitations for any action founded on the design, planning, or construction of improvements to real property.

(b) Multiple Sections

     Use the designation “section” even if the reference is to subsections, paragraphs, or other subunits of the section. Do not capitalize or abbreviate “section(s)” in textual discussions.

►    During the debate, Representative Abrams noted that section 119.07(1)(b) had provided that when the nature or the volume of a request . . . .

►    According to section 102.012(6), if there are fewer than 300 registered electors one election board is sufficient.

     When the reference is to multiple units, use the plural.

►    Sunset and Sundown reports are required by sections 11.61 and 11.611 of the Florida Statutes.

     However, if you are referring to a subsection or paragraph without the preceding chapter or section number, use the classifications in Rule 4.6, supra. Do not capitalize or abbreviate the “subsection,” “paragraph,” “subparagraph,” or any other subdivision classification in textual discussions.

►    Representative Abrams turned the focus of the debate to paragraph (1)(b).

►    If subsection (6) is controlling law, one election board is sufficient for this precinct.

(c) Multiple References to a Statute. It is not necessary to refer to the “Florida Statutes” every time a section or chapter is mentioned in the text as long as the year of the statutes discussed is the same. Continued reference to the “Florida Statutes” in textual discussions may be useful for purposes of clarity or emphasis.

►    The Matthews court found that section 627.7372 did not bar a cause of action by an insured against his insurer.

(d) Entire Chapters

     Refer to an entire chapter in the same manner as a section.

►   Chapter 380, Florida Statutes, requires that before undertaking . . . .

►    House Bill 287 makes only a minor change in the vested rights provisions of chapter 380.

5.5   In Footnotes or Stand-Alone Cites

5.5.1  Basic Form

(a) Florida Statutes.The basic form is:

Legal Documents:

►    § 350.34, Fla. Stat. (1973).

►    § 120.53, Fla. Stat. (Supp. 1974).

Scholarly Works:

     When referring to the Florida Statutes in footnotes or stand-alone cites of a scholarly article, use the following format:

►    Fla. Stat.§ 25.381 (2000).

(b) Florida Statutes Annotated.The Florida Statutes Annotated is the unofficial version of the Florida Statutes. Citation to the Florida Statutes is strongly preferred. Otherwise cite to the Florida Statutes Annotated.

Legal Documents:

►    32 Fla. Stat. Ann. 116 (Supp. 1975).

Scholarly Works:

►    Fla. Stat. Ann.§ 159.09 (West 1993).

5.5.2  Sections

     Abbreviate section references in a footnote citation sentence by using the section symbol (§).

(a) Single section. Use a single section symbol with a space between the section symbol and the section’s number.

Legal Documents:

►    § 40.01, Fla. Stat. (2000).

Scholarly Works:

►    Fla. Stat.§ 40.01 (2000).

(b) Consecutive Sections. Use two section symbols with no space between them, although there is a space between the two section symbols and the sections’ numbers. Identical numbers preceding a punctuation mark may be omitted unless it will cause confusion.

Legal Documents:

►    §§ 120.54-.541, Fla. Stat. (2000).

Scholarly Works:

►    Fla. Stat.§§ 120.54-.541 (2000).

(c) Nonconsecutive Sections. Use two section symbols with no space between them. However, there is a space between the second section symbol and the first section number. Use commas to separate nonconsecutive section numbers.

Legal Documents:

►    §§ 240.229, .2997(1), Fla. Stat. (2000).

Scholarly Works:

►    Fla. Stat.§§ 240.229, .2997(1) (2000).

(d) Multiple Subdivisions Within a Single Section. Use a single section symbol with a space between the section symbol and the section’s number.

Legal Documents:

►    § 186.021(1), (4), Fla. Stat. (1995).

Scholarly Works:

►    Fla. Stat.§ 186.021(1), (4) (1995).

5.5.3  Entire Chapter

     Use the abbreviation “ch.” when citing to an entire chapter.

Legal Documents:

►    Ch. 119, Fla. Stat. (2000).

Scholarly Works:

►    Fla. Stat.ch. 119 (2000).

5.6   Year of a Statute

     When citing the print version of an official or unofficial code, the year should correspond to the year indicated on the spine of the volume, the year that appears on the title page, or the latest copyright year—in that order of preference. If the date spans multiple years, give all years covered. 

     When citing an official or unofficial version of the code that appears online in an electronic database or on a public website, use the year indicated by the database as the most current version of the statute, unless specifically citing to a previous version. See infraRule 5.7. Typically, the electronic database or website will provide a “current as of” date, e.g., “Current through the 2015 1st Reg. Sess. and Special Session of the Twenty-Fourth Legislature.”

5.6.1  In Text

     The first time a statute is cited, there must be an indication of the year of the statute under discussion. When the statute is subsequently discussed in the text, it is not necessary to give the year each time the statute is cited.

Legal Documents:

►    Section 90.803(23), Florida Statutes (2000), currently provides a hearsay exception for certain statements of a child victim of abuse.

Scholarly Works:

     The first citation to a statute in the text of the document must be accompanied by a footnote identifying the full citation form of the statute.

►    Section 90.803(23), Florida Statutes, currently provides a hearsay exception for certain statements of a child victim of abuse.85

                 85. Fla. Stat.§ 90.803(23) (2000).

5.6.2  In Footnotes

     Each time a full citation to a statute occurs, include the year. A short citation form may be used (i.e., an “id.” form) in subsequent citations.

Legal Documents:

►    86. § 120.69(7), Fla. Stat. (2000).

►    87.Id.§ 119.12.

Scholarly Works:

►    88.Fla. Stat.§ 120.69(7) (2000).

►    89.Id. § 119.12.

     Where the “id.” form is used, do not include the year of the statute with the citation unless the short form citation is to a statute of a different year.

Legal Documents:

►    90. §§ 92.53(1), .54(1), Fla. Stat. (1989).

►    91.Id.§ 95.11 (Supp. 1990).

Scholarly Works:

►    92.Fla. Stat.§§ 92.53(1), .54(1) (1989).

►    93.Id.§ 95.11 (Supp. 1990).

5.7   Historical Reference

     When textual discussion concerns the present state of the law, cite to the current edition of the Florida Statutes. When the discussion deals with the law of an earlier time, as in a discussion of an earlier court opinion construing a statute, cite to the earlier edition of the Florida Statutes with which the discussion deals.

Legal Documents:

►    Section 731.34, Florida Statutes (1955), provided for the wife’s claim to dower to be free from all liabilities of the deceased spouse’s estate.

Scholarly Works:

►    Section 731.34 provided for the wife’s claim to dower to be free from all liabilities of the deceased spouse’s estate.94

                 94. Fla. Stat. § 731.34 (1955).

5.7.1  Repeal

     When citing a statute that has been repealed, indicate the year of repeal parenthetically, or cite the repealing session law in full if pertinent to the discussion.

Legal Documents:

►    § 191.04, Fla. Stat. (Supp. 1994) (repealed 1995).

►   § 191.04, Fla. Stat. (Supp. 1994), repealed bych. 95-344, Laws of Fla.

Scholarly Works:

►    Fla. Stat.§ 191.04 (Supp. 1994) (repealed 1995).

►    Fla. Stat.§ 191.04 (Supp. 1994), repealed by Act effective June 16, 1995, ch. 95-344, 1995 Fla. Laws 3024.

     If the cited statute has been repealed and recodified elsewhere, use either the form “(repealed and recodified (year))” or the form “(current version at Fla. Stat.§ xxx.xx (year)).”

5.7.2  Amendment

     When citing a statute that has since been amended once, indicate the year of amendment, or cite the amending session law in full if pertinent to the discussion. If the statute has been amended more than once, citation to the earlier edition of the Florida Statutes alone is sufficient. See supra Rule 5.7.

Legal Documents:

►    § 364.339, Fla. Stat. (1993), amended bych. 95-403, § 27, at 3338-39, Laws of Fla.

►    § 364.339, Fla. Stat. (1993) (amended 1995).

Scholarly Works:

►    Fla. Stat.§ 364.339 (1993), amended by Act effective July 1, 1995, ch. 95-403, § 27, 1995 Fla. Laws 3311, 3338-39.

►    Fla. Stat.§ 364.339 (1993) (amended 1995).

5.8  Name of a Statute

     A statute has a name only if there is a specific statement to that effect in the statute itself. Do not confuse names of statutes with titles of acts. Often the official name of the statute is the same as that for the act and is found in the section of the statute referring to “Short Title.

     For example, section 688.001, Florida Statutes, states: “Sections 688.001-688.009 may be cited as the ‘Uniform Trade Secrets Act.’” The phrase “Uniform Trade Secrets Act” is the name of the statute and the Act. This name may be used in a textual discussion.

5.9   Form for Quotation of Statutes

5.9.1  Basic Form of Statutes

     In the official publication, most statutes begin with a section number and catchline followed by the text of the statute.

409.405. Court placement of delinquent children. — Any court having jurisdiction to place delinquent children may . . . .

5.9.2  Form of Block Quotation: Complete Quotation

     Block quotations should be used when the quotation consists of fifty or more words. See Bluebook Rule 5.1. Indent the first line of a block quotation when quoting the entire text. Eliminate the section number and catchline unless it is needed for a specific purpose. The paragraph should remain indented because titles and catchlines are only editorial devices and technically not part of the codification.

5.9.3  Form of Block Quotation: Incomplete Quotation

     If anything more than the section number and catchline is omitted, do not indent the paragraph for the block quotation.

5.9.4  Quoting Further Internal Subdivisions

     While the following is an example of a correct citation, try to avoid quotations consisting of large omissions.

Under section 680.1031(1)(g), Florida Statutes, a finance lease is defined as a lease in which:

1.   The lessor does not select, manufacture, or supply the goods; 

. . . and

3.   Either:

a.   The lessee receives a copy of the contract evidencing the lessor’s purchase of the goods on or before signing the lease contract;

. . . .

. . . or

d.   Only if the lease is not a consumer lease, on or before the signing of the lease contract by the lessee the lessor:

. . . .

III. Advises the lessee in writing to contact the supplier for a description of any such rights.

     To alleviate the confusion caused in footnotes such as the one above, use a narrative to tie the blocks of material together:

     Under section 680.1031(1)(g), Florida Statutes, a finance lease is defined as a lease in which “[t]he lessor does not select, manufacture, or supply the goods.” In addition, the lessee must receive “a copy of the contract evidencing the lessor’s purchase of the goods on or before the lease contract” or, in the case of a non-consumer lease, the lessor must “on or before the signing of the lease contract by the lessee . . . [advise] the lessee in writing to contact the supplier for a description of any such rights.”