Florida Statute 454.23 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XXXII
REGULATION OF PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

Chapter 454
ATTORNEYS AT LAW

View Entire Chapter

F.S. 454.23

454.23 Penalties.—Any person not licensed or otherwise authorized to practice law in this state who practices law in this state or holds himself or herself out to the public as qualified to practice law in this state, or who willfully pretends to be, or willfully takes or uses any name, title, addition, or description implying that he or she is qualified, or recognized by law as qualified, to practice law in this state, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.—s. 21, ch. 10175, 1925; CGL 8133; s. 384, ch. 71-136; s. 1, ch. 74-128; s. 184, ch. 97-103; s. 1, ch. 2004-287.

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F.S. 454.23 on CourtListener

Amendments to 454.23

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 454.23

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

S454.23 - FRAUD-IMPERSON - MISREPRESENT SELF AS QUALIFIED TO PRACTICE LAW - F: T

Cases Citing Statute 454.23

Total Results: 29

CHANDRIS, SA v. Yanakakis

668 So. 2d 180, 1996 A.M.C. 2668, 1995 Fla. LEXIS 2037, 1995 WL 752306

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Dec 21, 1995 | Docket: 677867

Cited 37 times | Published

unauthorized practice of law in violation of section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1983),[1] and thus the agreement

Morales v. Codias (In Re Codias)

78 B.R. 344, 1987 Bankr. LEXIS 1518, 16 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 542

United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida. | Filed: Sep 24, 1987 | Docket: 1801871

Cited 21 times | Published

criminal statutes of the State of Florida, namely Section 454.23, Fla.Stat. Under Florida law, Defendant is

The Florida Bar v. Moses

380 So. 2d 412, 109 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2509, 1980 Fla. LEXIS 4101

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jan 17, 1980 | Docket: 150611

Cited 20 times | Published

Paraprofessionalism, 71 Colum.L.Rev. 1153, 1209-10 (1971); Section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1977) ("Any person not licensed

Application of Harper

84 So. 2d 700, 54 A.L.R. 2d 1272

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jan 11, 1956 | Docket: 1281070

Cited 18 times | Published

under the applicable statutes of this State. Section 454.23 et seq., Florida Statutes 1953, F.S.A. The

Amendments Regulating Bar-Advertising

762 So. 2d 392, 1999 WL 1289031

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Dec 17, 1999 | Docket: 124900

Cited 14 times | Published

Florida. (Emphasis added.) [3] For example, section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1997), provides: Penalties

Torrey v. Leesburg Regional Medical Center

769 So. 2d 1040, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 911, 2000 Fla. LEXIS 2040, 2000 WL 1588051

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Oct 26, 2000 | Docket: 1476642

Cited 12 times | Published

potentially be subject to criminal charges. See § 454.23, Fla. Stat. (1999). [7] By way of illustration

The Florida Bar v. Schramek

616 So. 2d 979, 1993 WL 113509

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Apr 15, 1993 | Docket: 1385412

Cited 11 times | Published

persons to the practice of law." Pursuant to Florida Statute 454.23, "any person not licensed or otherwise

The Florida Bar v. Town

174 So. 2d 395, 1965 Fla. LEXIS 3485

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Apr 21, 1965 | Docket: 1407414

Cited 11 times | Published

lawyer, could be considered a violation of Section 454.23, F.S.A.; nevertheless, respondent did advise

Vista Designs, Inc. v. Silverman

774 So. 2d 884, 2001 Fla. App. LEXIS 38, 2001 WL 6160

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 3, 2001 | Docket: 1698009

Cited 9 times | Published

offense to practice law without a license, see section 454.23, Fla.Stat., and the admission of attorneys

In Re Landry

250 B.R. 441, 13 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 260, 2000 Bankr. LEXIS 732, 2000 WL 943802

United States Bankruptcy Court, M.D. Florida | Filed: May 19, 2000 | Docket: 2535767

Cited 8 times | Published

guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree." Fla. Stat. 454.23. Typing services and petition preparers have

Petition of Kearney

63 So. 2d 630, 1953 Fla. LEXIS 1137

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Mar 13, 1953 | Docket: 2459722

Cited 8 times | Published

such business an active member of the Bar." Section 454.23, Florida Statutes 1951, F.S.A., imposes a penalty

Duval v. State

744 So. 2d 523, 1999 WL 891161

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 8, 1999 | Docket: 1381233

Cited 7 times | Published

JOHN SZPAKOWSKI AND CHRISTINE BLACK." [3] Section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1995), provides: "Any person

EHQF Trust v. S & A Capital Partners, Inc.

947 So. 2d 606, 2007 Fla. App. LEXIS 122, 2007 WL 45838

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 9, 2007 | Docket: 64848708

Cited 6 times | Published

attorney licensed to practice law in Florida. Section 454.23, Florida Statutes (2006), prohibiting the unlicensed

The Florida Bar v. CONSOLIDATED BUS., ETC.

386 So. 2d 797

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jun 5, 1980 | Docket: 477272

Cited 5 times | Published

the services which they offer to the public (F.S. 454.23) are not competent by training to judge the quality

State v. Foster

674 So. 2d 747

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 26, 1996 | Docket: 1661969

Cited 3 times | Published

unauthorized practice of law and 2) finding section 454.23, Florida Statutes, vague and violative of federal

Yanakakis v. Chandris

9 F.3d 1509, 1996 A.M.C. 2661, 1993 U.S. App. LEXIS 33573

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Dec 27, 1993 | Docket: 1032829

Cited 3 times | Published

unauthorized practice of law in derogation of Section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1983). The district court

Hucke v. Kubra Data Transfer Ltd.

160 F. Supp. 3d 1320, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 176218, 2015 WL 10097623

District Court, S.D. Florida | Filed: Nov 9, 2015 | Docket: 64306742

Cited 2 times | Published

offense to practice law without a license, see section 454.23, Fla. Stat., and the admission of attorneys

Neiman v. Provident Life & Accident Insurance

217 F. Supp. 2d 1281, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16900, 2002 WL 2022312

District Court, S.D. Florida | Filed: Aug 26, 2002 | Docket: 2351897

Cited 2 times | Published

criminal conduct expressly prohibited by statute. See § 454.23, Fla. Stat. Neiman not only practiced law without

Blades v. Ward

475 So. 2d 935, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 2063

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Sep 3, 1985 | Docket: 1301649

Cited 2 times | Published

a hostile witness by the appellants. [4] See § 454.23, Fla. Stat. (1983) (any person not licensed or

In re Ocean 4660 LLC

569 B.R. 850, 2017 Bankr. LEXIS 2143

United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida. | Filed: Aug 1, 2017 | Docket: 65789839

Cited 1 times | Published

misrepresenting himself as qualified to practice law (§ 454.23, Fla. Stat.), simulating legal process in fraudulent

Bauer v. State

610 So. 2d 1326, 1992 WL 379880

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 23, 1992 | Docket: 1413568

Cited 1 times | Published

unauthorized practice of law is forbidden by statute. § 454.23, Fla. Stat. (1991). With limited exceptions not

The Florida Bar v. TIKD Services LLC, A Foreign Limited Liability Company, and Christopher Riley, individually and as Founder of TIKD Services, LLC

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Oct 14, 2021 | Docket: 60646062

Published

status as a nonlawyer prohibits it from doing. See § 454.23 (Attorneys at Law; Penalties), Fla. Stat. (2020)

Morrison v. West

30 So. 3d 561, 2010 Fla. App. LEXIS 1591, 2010 WL 532792

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 17, 2010 | Docket: 1639242

Published

statutory law. The court in Chandris noted that section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1983), provided that "[a]ny

Ago

Florida Attorney General Reports | Filed: Aug 23, 2002 | Docket: 3257081

Published

Florida Statutes, regulating attorneys at law and section 454.23, Fla. Stat., prohibiting those not licensed

State v. Trotter

677 So. 2d 35, 1996 Fla. App. LEXIS 6856, 1996 WL 354608

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 28, 1996 | Docket: 64766224

Published

as one of great public importance: WHETHER SECTION 454.23, FLORIDA STATUTES (1995) IS VOID AS BEING UNCONSTITUTIONALLY

Florida Bar Re Amendments to Rules Regulating the Florida Bar

685 So. 2d 1203, 22 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 23, 1996 Fla. LEXIS 1065, 1996 WL 350153

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jun 27, 1996 | Docket: 64770226

Published

the unlicensed practice of law pursuant to section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1995).3 Accordingly, The

Yanakakis v. Chandris, S.A.

9 F.3d 1509, 1993 WL 501750

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Dec 27, 1993 | Docket: 64015574

Published

unauthorized practice of law in derogation of Section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1983). The district court

Novak v. Blum

614 So. 2d 36, 1993 Fla. App. LEXIS 2244, 1993 WL 48259

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 26, 1993 | Docket: 64694418

Published

proscription against the unauthorized practice of law, section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1991). The statute makes

Hicks v. State

468 So. 2d 1045, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 1146, 1985 Fla. App. LEXIS 13847

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 7, 1985 | Docket: 64611966

Published

practicing law without a license in violation of section 454.23, Florida Statutes (1983). At least two of the