Florida Statute 836.12 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XLVI
CRIMES

Chapter 836
DEFAMATION; LIBEL; THREATENING LETTERS AND SIMILAR OFFENSES

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F.S. 836.12

836.12 Threats or harassment.—

(1) As used in this section, the term:

(a) “Administrative assistant” means a court employee assigned to the office of a specific general or special magistrate or a child support enforcement hearing officer.

(b) “Family member” means:

1. An individual related to another individual by blood or marriage; or

2. An individual who stands in loco parentis to another individual.

(c) “Judicial assistant” means a court employee assigned to the office of a specific judge or justice responsible for providing administrative, secretarial, and clerical support to the assigned judge or justice.

(d) “Law enforcement officer” means:

1. A law enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10; or

2. A federal law enforcement officer as defined in s. 901.1505.

(2)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), any person who knowingly and willfully threatens a law enforcement officer, a state attorney, an assistant state attorney, a firefighter, a judge, a justice, a general magistrate, a special magistrate, a child support enforcement hearing officer, an administrative assistant, a judicial assistant, a clerk of the court, clerk personnel, or an elected official, or a family member of any such person, with death or serious bodily harm commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(b) A person who commits a second or subsequent violation of paragraph (a) commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3) Any person who knowingly and willfully harasses a law enforcement officer, a state attorney, an assistant state attorney, a firefighter, a judge, a justice, a general magistrate, a special magistrate, a child support enforcement hearing officer, an administrative assistant, a judicial assistant, a clerk of the court, clerk personnel, or an elected official, with the intent to intimidate or coerce such a person to perform or refrain from performing a lawful duty, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

History.—s. 3, ch. 2016-156; s. 1, ch. 2023-194; s. 1, ch. 2025-126.

F.S. 836.12 on Google Scholar

F.S. 836.12 on CourtListener

Amendments to 836.12

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 836.12

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

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT W DEATH SERIOUS BODILY HARM LEO - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT W DEATH SERIOUS BODILY HARM STATE ATTY - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT W DEATH SER BODILY HARM ASST STATE ATTY - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT W DEATH SERIOUS BODILY HARM FIREFIGHTER - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT W DEATH OR SERIOUS BODILY HARM JUDGE - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT W DEATH SER BODILY HARM ELECT OFFICIAL - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT W DEATH SER BODILY HARM FAM MBR ST ATTY - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM FAM MBR ASST ST ATTY - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM FAM MBR FIREFIGHTER - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BODILY HARM FAMILY MBR JUDGE - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT W DEATH SER BODILY HARM FAM MEMBER LEO - M: F

S836.12 2 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BODY HARM FAM MBR ELECTED OFF - M: F

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT W DEATH SER BODILY HARM LEO 2ND SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BODILY HARM ST ATTY 2ND SUBSQ - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM ASST ST ATTY 2ND SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM FIREFIGHTER 2ND SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH OR SER BODILY HARM JUDGE 2ND SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM ELECT OFF 2ND SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM FAM MBR LEO 2ND SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM FAM MBR SAO 2ND SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM FAM MBR ASA 2ND SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM FAM MBR FIREFGTR SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THRET DEATH SER BOD HARM FAM MBR JUDGE 2ND SUB - F: T

S836.12 3 - INTIMIDATION - THREAT DEATH SER BOD HARM FAM MBR ELEC OFI SUB - F: T

Cases Citing Statute 836.12

Total Results: 5

Jones v. State of Florida

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 18, 2025 | Docket: 70834411

Published

acquittal. See Andrews, 390 So. 3d at 237. Section 836.12(2)(a), Florida Statutes (2023), provides that

T.R.W., A CHILD v. STATE OF FLORIDA

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 15, 2023 | Docket: 66814479

Published

considering mens rea in a similar statute, section 836.12, Florida Statutes (2021), the Third District

VENTURA GOMEZ v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 20, 2021 | Docket: 31030403

Published

imposed by the county court for violations of section 836.12(2), Florida Statutes (2019). Relying heavily

In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases - Report 2016-06 – Corrected Opinion

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Apr 13, 2017 | Docket: 4684622

Published

instructs upon the new misdemeanor crime in section 836.12(2), Florida Statutes (2016), enacted in chapter

In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—report 2016-06

217 So. 3d 965

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Feb 9, 2017 | Docket: 4582773

Published

instructs upon the new misdemean- or crime in section 836.12(2), Florida Statutes (2016), enacted in chapter