In Interest of JH, 559 So. 2d 702 (Fla. 4th DCA 1990). · Go Syfert
In Interest of JH, 559 So. 2d 702 (Fla. 4th DCA 1990). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
Quick Summary

Providing a false name to an officer constitutes resisting arrest even if the individual only corrects the false information after being placed under arrest.

A juvenile is charged with theft and resisting arrest after giving a false name to an officer during a traffic stop. The officer discovers the vehicle is stolen and arrests the juvenile before the juvenile voluntarily provides his correct name. The court must determine whether providing false identification constitutes obstruction under the resisting officer statute when the individual is already under arrest for a separate offense. The court applies the statute to hold that the false information obstructed the officer's duties, distinguishing prior cases where the suspect corrected the falsehood before arrest. The court affirms the disposition order finding the juvenile committed the delinquent acts of theft and resisting arrest.

10 citation events (5 in the last 25 years) across 1 distinct court.
Cited for
At page 703 Affirming conviction for resisting arrest by giving false name4 citing casesdistinguishing C.T. because defendant had been arrested before recanting2 citing courts put it this way · 2 listed here
  • M.G. v. State, 989 So. 2d 705 (Fla. 1st DCA 2008).published 2 cites
    (affirming conviction for resisting arrest without violence by giving a false name, where recantation of false information occurred after arrest)
  • AAR v. State, 926 So. 2d 463 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006).published 2 cites
    (distinguishing C.T. because defendant had been arrested before recanting)
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
In the Interest of J.H., a Child.
89-1157.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Apr 11, 1990.
Published opinion
559 So. 2d 702
1990 Fla. App. LEXIS 2358
1990 WL 41571
Stone.
Cited by 8 opinions  |  Published

[*703] Richard L. Jorandby, Public Defender, and Louis G. Carres, Asst. Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant-J.H.

Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and David D. McLauchlin, Asst. Atty. Gen., West Palm Beach, for appellee-State of Fla.

STONE, Judge.

We affirm a disposition order finding that the appellant committed the delinquent acts of theft of a motor scooter and resisting arrest without violence — by obstructing or opposing an officer by giving false information, a fictitious name. The appellant asserts, among other claims, that the court erred by denying a motion to dismiss the obstruction charge.

The facts are not in dispute. The appellant was stopped for riding a motor scooter without mirrors or a helmet. The appellant had no identification and gave the police officer a false name. The officer, incident to issuing a citation, ran a check on the license tag and learned that the scooter had been reported stolen. The officer then placed the defendant under arrest and read him the Miranda warnings. It was not until after this that the appellant, voluntarily, gave his correct name.

Section 843.02, Florida Statutes (1989), provides, in part:

843.02 Resisting officer without violence to his person. — Whoever shall resist, obstruct, or oppose any officer ... or other person legally authorized to execute process in the execution of legal process or in the lawful execution of any legal duty, without offering or doing violence to the person of the officer, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor... .

The appellant relies upon C.T. v. State, 481 So.2d 9 (Fla. 1st DCA 1985). There, the court reversed a conviction of a twelve year old child on the same charge. In C.T., the juvenile, stopped for riding a bicycle without a headlight, gave a false name which the officer ran through the computer. Immediately thereafter the juvenile corrected the falsehood, "before any real harm was done." Id. at 10. The court reasoned that the false identification had not interfered with the officer's performance of his duties "other than causing a relatively insignificant loss of time." Id. at 10.

The state relies upon Barkley v. State, 522 So.2d 431 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988). In that case a defendant, stopped under similar circumstances, gave the officer a false name and several social security numbers. He was immediately placed under arrest because the officer considered that the false information impaired the investigation. However, unlike C.T., the defendant had not recanted. Rather, the defendant, immediately after his arrest for resisting without violence, ran off. In Barkley, the court recognized that an arrest under section 843.02 may be based on the giving of such false information and held that it was valid.

We need not determine whether to concur with C.T. v. State since here the appellant was already under arrest for the theft of the motor scooter before confessing to his true identity. We can discern no reason to limit the application of the statute under such circumstances.

[*704] We also find no merit in the other issues raised by appellant. Therefore, the order is affirmed.

GUNTHER, J., concurs.

GLICKSTEIN, J., concurs in part and dissents in part with opinion.

GLICKSTEIN, Judge, concurring in part and dissenting in part.

I would affirm that part of the trial court's order which found appellant guilty of grand theft but withheld adjudication and that part which ordered appellant to pay restitution to the victim, but would reverse the trial court's order as to the charge of obstruction of an officer without violence, and reverse and remand with directions to dismiss. See C.T. v. State, 481 So.2d 9 (Fla. 1st DCA 1985). Dismissal of the obstruction charge would necessitate resentencing on remand.