Florida Statute 837.012 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XLVI
CRIMES

Chapter 837
PERJURY

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F.S. 837.012

837.012 Perjury when not in an official proceeding.—

(1) Whoever makes a false statement, which he or she does not believe to be true, under oath, not in an official proceeding, in regard to any material matter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(2) Knowledge of the materiality of the statement is not an element of this crime, and the defendant’s mistaken belief that his or her statement was not material is not a defense.

History.—s. 2, ch. 1637, 1868; RS 2560; GS 3472; RGS 5341; CGL 7474; s. 997, ch. 71-136; s. 54, ch. 74-383; s. 32, ch. 75-298; s. 205, ch. 91-224; s. 1310, ch. 97-102.

Note.—Former s. 837.01.

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Amendments to 837.012

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 837.012

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

S837.012 - PERJURY - NOT IN OFFICIAL PROCEEDING - M: F

Cases Citing Statute 837.012

Total Results: 20

Standard Jury Instructions-Criminal Cases

603 So. 2d 1175, 17 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 400, 1992 Fla. LEXIS 1220, 1992 WL 148230

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 2, 1992 | Docket: 1475854

Cited 75 times | Published

(NOT IN AN OFFICIAL PROCEEDING F.S. 837.012) (IN AN OFFICIAL PROCEEDING F.S.

Owner's Adjustment Bureau, Inc. v. Ott

402 So. 2d 466, 1981 Fla. App. LEXIS 20646

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 28, 1981 | Docket: 1691455

Cited 10 times | Published

1973). [2] § 837.02, Fla. Stat. (1979); see § 837.012, Fla. Stat. (1979). [3] But where a communication

Schramm v. State

374 So. 2d 1043

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 7, 1979 | Docket: 430647

Cited 9 times | Published

statements, it must be an offense provided for in Section 837.012[3] or 837.05,[4] Florida Statutes (1977). Since

Robinson v. State

455 So. 2d 481

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 9, 1984 | Docket: 1692606

Cited 6 times | Published

was subject to the penalty of perjury under section 837.012, Florida Statutes (1983).[1]See generally *483

Simpson v. State

100 So. 3d 1258, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 20223, 2012 WL 5870025

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 21, 2012 | Docket: 60225612

Cited 5 times | Published

perjury if his allegation is proven false. See § 837.012, Fla. Stat. (2010) ("Perjury when not in an official

State v. Adkins

553 So. 2d 294, 1989 WL 145724

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 30, 1989 | Docket: 1259218

Cited 5 times | Published

(emphasis added). For purposes of contrast, section 837.012, Fla. Stat. (1987), which appellants were not

Jones v. State

466 So. 2d 293, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 522

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 26, 1985 | Docket: 438358

Cited 4 times | Published

offense of perjury in an unofficial proceeding. § 837.012, Fla. Stat. (1979). Although the facts supported

State v. Witte

451 So. 2d 950

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 12, 1984 | Docket: 1482637

Cited 4 times | Published

degree... ." (emphasis supplied). In contrast, Section 837.012, Florida Statutes (1981), makes perjury when

Nessmith v. State

472 So. 2d 1248, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 1584

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 24, 1985 | Docket: 1793470

Cited 3 times | Published

perjury when not in an official proceeding (section 837.012), a misdemeanor.[6] Since the question before

Ware v. State

111 So. 3d 257, 2013 WL 1581812, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 5949

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 16, 2013 | Docket: 60230788

Cited 2 times | Published

felony perjury by contradictory statements; section 837.012, Florida Statutes, misdemeanor perjury when

Sanchez v. State

89 So. 3d 912, 2012 WL 385475, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 1784

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 8, 2012 | Docket: 60308848

Cited 2 times | Published

establish the crime of misdemeanor perjury under section 837.012; that crime and that statute were not delineated

Anthony v. State

108 So. 3d 1111, 2013 WL 275533, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 1036

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 25, 2013 | Docket: 60228972

Cited 1 times | Published

not material is not a defense. Similarly, section 837.012, Florida Statutes (2008), states: Perjury when

Tardif v. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

829 F. Supp. 2d 1219, 2011 WL 5357564, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128092

District Court, M.D. Florida | Filed: Nov 4, 2011 | Docket: 65977096

Cited 1 times | Published

proceeding in regard to any material matter. Section 837.012 makes it illegal to make a false statement

PAMELA PARRIS v. STATE OF FLORIDA

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 12, 2023 | Docket: 67174381

Published

The crime of perjury is codified in section 837.012, Florida Statutes (2019), which provides that

DAMIEN HERMAN GILLIAMS v. STATE OF FLORIDA

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 12, 2023 | Docket: 67174387

Published

2018). Gilliams was convicted of perjury under section 837.012, Florida Statutes (2019), which provides that

Octavius Ware v. State of Florida

159 So. 3d 192

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 15, 2015 | Docket: 2634480

Published

State charged Ms. Nieves with perjury under section 837.012, Florida Statutes, for making false statements

McAlpin v. Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission

155 So. 3d 416, 2014 Fla. App. LEXIS 20982, 2014 WL 7404018

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 31, 2014 | Docket: 60245645

Published

proceeding, in regard to any material matter.” § 837.012(1) Fla. Stat. (2008). Mere inaccuracy or confusion

Anderson v. State

669 So. 2d 262, 1995 Fla. App. LEXIS 6580, 1995 WL 358094

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 16, 1995 | Docket: 64762849

Published

conduct that is neither a crime nor an offense. . § 837.012, Fla.Stat. (1993). . § 837.02, Fla.Stat. (1993)

Kirkland v. State

495 So. 2d 831, 11 Fla. L. Weekly 2118, 1986 Fla. App. LEXIS 9986

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 6, 1986 | Docket: 64622206

Published

perjury when not in an official proceeding (Section 837.-012) and has defined the term “official proceeding

Sevin v. State

478 So. 2d 521, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 2581, 1985 Fla. App. LEXIS 16981

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 22, 1985 | Docket: 64615551

Published

statements, it must be an offense provided for in Section 837.012 or 837.05, Florida Statutes (1977). Since Schramm’s