Florida Statute 837.05 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XLVI
CRIMES

Chapter 837
PERJURY

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F.S. 837.05

837.05 False reports to law enforcement authorities.—

(1)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) or subsection (2), a person who knowingly gives false information to a law enforcement officer concerning the alleged commission of any crime, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(b) A person who commits a 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, if the person has previously been convicted of a violation of paragraph (a) and subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2. applies:

1. The information the person gave to the law enforcement officer was communicated orally and the officer’s account of that information is corroborated by:

a. An audio recording or audio recording in a video of that information;

b. A written or recorded statement made by the person who gave that information; or

c. Another person who was present when that person gave that information to the officer and heard that information.

2. The information the person gave to the law enforcement officer was communicated in writing.

(2) A person who knowingly gives false information to a law enforcement officer concerning the alleged commission of a capital felony, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3) A court shall order any person convicted of violating this section to pay:

(a) The costs of prosecution and investigation under s. 938.27.

(b) Restitution to any victim who suffers damage or injury as a proximate result of lawful conduct arising out of a law enforcement response.

History.—s. 57, ch. 74-383; s. 34, ch. 75-298; s. 206, ch. 91-224; s. 5, ch. 97-90; s. 1, ch. 2013-117; s. 2, ch. 2025-60.

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Amendments to 837.05

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 837.05

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

S837.05 1 - MAKING FALSE REPORT - RENUMBERED. SEE REC #S 7522 AND 7523 - M: F

S837.05 1a - MAKING FALSE REPORT - KNOWINGLY GIVE FALSE INFO TO LEO ALLGD CRIME - M: F

S837.05 1b - MAKING FALSE REPORT - KNOW GIVE FALSE INFOR TO LEO ALLGD CRIME SUBSQ - F: T

S837.05 2 - MAKING FALSE REPORT - FALSE INFO TO LEO RE CAPITAL FELONY - F: T

Cases Citing Statute 837.05

Total Results: 17

Madiwale v. Savaiko

117 F.3d 1321, 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 19000, 1997 WL 381277

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Jul 25, 1997 | Docket: 407529

Cited 110 times | Published

enforcement authorities in violation of Florida Statute § 837.05, and allegedly being an accessory after the fact

Boland v. State

893 So. 2d 683, 2005 WL 382895

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 18, 2005 | Docket: 1720625

Cited 8 times | Published

capital felony to the deputy in violation of section 837.05(2), Florida Statutes (2002), a third-degree

In Re Standard Jury Inst. in Crim. Cases-Report 2007-01

965 So. 2d 811, 32 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 530, 2007 Fla. LEXIS 1535, 2007 WL 2438370

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Aug 30, 2007 | Docket: 1509151

Cited 6 times | Published

INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME § 837.05(1), Fla. Stat. To prove the crime of Giving False

Beizer v. Judge

743 So. 2d 134, 1999 WL 817178

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 6, 1999 | Docket: 2488352

Cited 6 times | Published

"false report to a police officer," citing section 837.05, Florida Statutes (1995). He explained that

State v. Witte

451 So. 2d 950

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

Cited 4 times | Published

of a crime, a first-degree misdemeanor under Section 837.05, Florida Statutes (1981).

Benoit v. City of Lake City

343 F. Supp. 3d 1219

District Court, M.D. Florida | Filed: Oct 16, 2018 | Docket: 64321385

Cited 3 times | Published

police report in violation of Florida Statute section 837.05. See Nydam Aff. ¶ 7. Melissa pled guilty to

STATE OF FLORIDA v. CHESTER RALPH KWITOWSKI, JR.

250 So. 3d 210

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 20, 2018 | Docket: 7225311

Cited 2 times | Published

683, 684 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005) (assuming that section 837.05(2), Florida Statutes (2002), which criminalizes

Barlow v. State

171 So. 3d 777, 2015 Fla. App. LEXIS 11321, 2015 WL 4557000

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 29, 2015 | Docket: 2679086

Cited 2 times | Published

giving a false report to a law enforcement officer, § 837.05(1), Fla. Stat. (2013), and obstructing a law enforcement

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

perjury when not in an official proceeding; or section 837.05, Florida Statutes, misdemeanor false reports

Johnson v. State

361 So. 2d 767

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 11, 1978 | Docket: 1288526

Cited 2 times | Published

information to any law enforcement officer, Section 837.05, Florida Statutes (1975), is found in the perjury

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

determination in the underlying case.”).3 Finally, § 837.05 makes it illegal to give false information to

In Re STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES—REPORT NO. 2013-07

143 So. 3d 893, 2014 WL 3361905

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 10, 2014 | Docket: 400982

Published

INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME § 837.05(1), Fla. Stat. To prove the crime of Giving

Wallace v. State

964 So. 2d 722, 2007 Fla. App. LEXIS 11510, 2007 WL 2141807

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 27, 2007 | Docket: 64852405

Published

to a charge of making a false report under section 837.05(1), Florida Statutes (2001). In summary, the

Romano v. Department of Business & Professional

948 So. 2d 938, 2007 Fla. App. LEXIS 1956, 2007 WL 485975

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 16, 2007 | Docket: 64849150

Published

Fla. Stat. . § 812.014(2)(b), Fla. Stat. . § 837.05, Fla. Stat.

Byford v. Stephens

299 F. Supp. 2d 1253, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24100, 2003 WL 23191031

District Court, S.D. Florida | Filed: Nov 7, 2003 | Docket: 2476337

Published

775.83. Fla. Stat. § 817.49. Similarly, under Section 837.05, Florida Statutes, "whoever knowingly gives

Ago

Florida Attorney General Reports | Filed: Aug 23, 1993 | Docket: 3258309

Published

weapon during the commission of the offense. Section 837.05 — False reports to law enforcement authorities

Johnson v. State

382 So. 2d 693, 1980 Fla. LEXIS 4196

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Apr 3, 1980 | Docket: 64575615

Published

information to any law enforcement officer, Section 837.05, Florida Statutes (1975), is found in the perjury