Florida Statute 838.022 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research

The 2024 Florida Statutes

Title XLVI
CRIMES

Chapter 838
BRIBERY; MISUSE OF PUBLIC OFFICE

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F.S. 838.022

838.022 Official misconduct.—

(1) It is unlawful for a public servant or public contractor, to knowingly and intentionally obtain a benefit for any person or to cause unlawful harm to another, by:

(a) Falsifying, or causing another person to falsify, any official record or official document;

(b) Concealing, covering up, destroying, mutilating, or altering any official record or official document, except as authorized by law or contract, or causing another person to perform such an act; or

(c) Obstructing, delaying, or preventing the communication of information relating to the commission of a felony that directly involves or affects the government entity served by the public servant or public contractor.

(2) For the purposes of this section:

(a) The term “public servant” does not include a candidate who does not otherwise qualify as a public servant.

(b) An official record or official document includes only public records.

(3) Any person who violates this section commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.—s. 5, ch. 2003-158; s. 4, ch. 2016-151.

F.S. 838.022 on Google Scholar

F.S. 838.022 on Casetext

Amendments to 838.022

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 838.022

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

S838.022 1a - FRAUD-FALSE STATEMENT - PUBLIC SERVANT FALSIFY OFFICIAL DOCUMENT - F: T

S838.022 1b - FRAUD - PUB SERVANT CONCEAL DESTROY ALTER OFF DOC - F: T

S838.022 1c - OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE - PUB SERV CONTRAC OBST FEL INFO INV GOV - F: T

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 838.022

Total Results: 13

MANNY LAZARO MELENDEZ v. THE STATE OF FLORIDA

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2023-04-19T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: benefit” element in the current version of section 838.022, Florida Statutes, though we have previously upheld… Statutes, the predecessor statute to section 838.022, where the offending officer falsified official

In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases—report 2016-10

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 2017-04-13T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 214 So. 3d 1290

Snippet: and 2017. 19.7 OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT § 838.022, Fla. Stat. To prove the crime of Official…while performing a governmental function. $ 838.022(2)(a). Fla. Stat. “Public servant” does …performing a governmental function. ⅛⅛| 838.022(3)fb). Met. Stat. “Official Record” or “

In re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 2013-09-26T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 123 So. 3d 54, 38 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 680, 2013 WL 5381712, 2013 Fla. LEXIS 2067

Snippet: instruction, to in-*55elude a citation to section 838.022(2)(a), Florida Statutes, for the proposition that…PERRY, concur. APPENDIX 19.7 OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT § 838.022, Fla. Stat. To prove the crime of Official Misconduct…performing a governmental function. Fla. Stat. § 838.022(2)(b). “Official Record” or “Official Document…office does not qualify as a public servant. § 838.022(2)(a), Fla. Stat. (2012). This instruction was

McCray v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2013-08-07T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 121 So. 3d 603, 2013 WL 4007202, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 12335

Snippet: of official misconduct in violation of section 838.022, Florida Statutes (2006). These convictions resulted

State v. Flansbaum-Talabisco

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2013-07-24T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 121 So. 3d 568, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 11602, 2013 WL 3811759

Snippet: public entity served by the public servant. § 838.022, Fla. Stat. (2010). The state’s information accused

Gonot v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2013-05-01T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 112 So. 3d 679, 2013 WL 1810623, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 6926

Snippet: acquittal on the count of official misconduct. Section 838.022(l)(a), Florida Statutes (2007), makes it “unlawful…Beach. On appeal, appellant focuses on section 838.022(2)(a), which defines “public servant” as not “including

State v. Dominguez

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2010-02-17T00:00:00-08:00

Citation: 27 So. 3d 782, 2010 Fla. App. LEXIS 1636, 2010 WL 532870

Snippet: one count of official misconduct under section 838.022, and eight counts of grand theft under section

WASSERSTROM v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2009-09-30T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 21 So. 3d 55, 2009 Fla. App. LEXIS 14517, 2009 WL 3103855

Snippet: of official misconduct in violation of section 838.022(1)(a), Florida Statutes (2004), which makes it

Simcox v. CITY OF HOLLYWOOD POLICE OFFICERS'RET. SYSTEM

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2008-08-27T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 988 So. 2d 731, 2008 Fla. App. LEXIS 12687, 2008 WL 3914892

Snippet: compensation for official behavior, and section 838.022, official misconduct. Alternatively, the Board

Hames v. CITY OF MIAMI FIREFIGHTERS'

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2008-03-04T23:53:00-08:00

Citation: 980 So. 2d 1112

Snippet: guilty were punishable in Florida under section 838.022, Florida Statutes (2003), which describes the felony…guilty plea in September 2001. Because section 838.022 was not enacted until 2003, it cannot be retroactively

Garcia v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2006-08-09T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 939 So. 2d 1082, 2006 Fla. App. LEXIS 13260, 2006 WL 2270347

Snippet: 1, 2003, the statute was rewritten as section 838.022, Florida Statutes, and section 839.25, Florida

Clement v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2005-02-02T00:00:00-08:00

Citation: 895 So. 2d 446, 2005 Fla. App. LEXIS 860, 2005 WL 231207

Snippet: 1112, 1116-17 (Fla.1998)). Renumbered as section 838.022, the new statute expressly excludes a candidate…Fla., repealed section 839.25 and added section 838.022, effective October 1, 2003. No. 2D04-1253

Helton and Helton v. Sinclair

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 1927-06-11T00:00:00-08:00

Citation: 113 So. 568, 93 Fla. 1121

Snippet: Court found that $1,664.96 was due on the debt, $838.22 interest, and decreed the payment of that sum together