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Florida Statute 838.15 - Full Text and Legal Analysis Florida Statute 838.15 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Fla. Stat. § 838.15 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
838.15 Commercial bribe receiving.
(1) A person commits the crime of commercial bribe receiving if the person solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept a benefit with intent to violate a statutory or common-law duty to which that person is subject as:
(a) An agent or employee of another;
(b) A trustee, guardian, or other fiduciary;
(c) A lawyer, physician, accountant, appraiser, or other professional adviser;
(d) An officer, director, partner, manager, or other participant in the direction of the affairs of an organization; or
(e) An arbitrator or other purportedly disinterested adjudicator or referee.
(2) Commercial bribe receiving is a third degree felony, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
History.s. 1, ch. 90-301.

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 838.15

M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd
§838.15(1)BRIBE-RECEIVINGRENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9755F · 3rd
§838.15BRIBE-RECEIVINGSOLICIT ACCEPT COMMERCIAL BRIBEF · 3rd
§838.15BRIBE-RECEIVINGRENUMBERED. SEE REC #8896F · 3rd

Cases Citing F.S. 838.15

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·Agan v. Vaughn, 119 F.3d 1538 (11th Cir. 1997).

Cited 59 times | Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 22679, 1997 WL 467169

officer.”) (emphasis added); Fla. Stat. Ann. § 838.015(1) (West 1994) (“ ‘Bribery’ means corruptly
0 red0 yellow79 green11 procedural
Cited as authorityPrice (2026)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2025)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityDelapena (2025)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·United States v. Nelson Italiano, 894 F.2d 1280 (11th Cir. 1990).

Cited 43 times | Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | 1990 U.S. App. LEXIS 2291, 1990 WL 6932

80-563, chargeable under Florida Statutes, Section 838.015 and an act of racketeering involving bribery
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Cited as authority(citing case) (2026)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2025)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2025)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·United States v. Nelson Italiano, 837 F.2d 1480 (11th Cir. 1988).

Cited 22 times | Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | 1988 U.S. App. LEXIS 2083, 1988 WL 6559

certain *1489relevant statutes, one of which was Section 838.015 of the Florida Statutes. That section proscribes
0 red0 yellow20 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2020)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityBrannan (2009)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityJess (2008)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·United States v. Joseph Henry Kotvas, Jr. Cullen H. Williams, A/k/a, Buster Williams, Claude Tanner, 941 F.2d 1141 (11th Cir. 1991).

Cited 12 times | Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 21309, 1991 WL 163622

the Florida statute titled “Bribery,” Fla.Stat. § 838.015, is the appropriate statute for the basis of a
0 red0 yellow11 green6 procedural
Cited as authorityBrowne (2007)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2005)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityCelestine (2002)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·United States v. Claude H. Tison, Jr., Marcelino Echevarria & Scan Realty Servs., Inc., 780 F.2d 1569 (11th Cir. 1986).

Cited 11 times | Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | 1986 U.S. App. LEXIS 21522

No. 80-45; chargeable under Florida Statute Section 838.015, and an act of racketeering involving bribery
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Cited as authorityDyer (2021)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityCarney (2016)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2016)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·In Re Jury Instructions in Crim. Cases, 911 So. 2d 766 (Fla. 2005).

Cited 18 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 2005 WL 2095664

to a child]. 19.1 BRIBERY OF PUBLIC SERVANT § 838.015(1), Fla. Stat. To prove the crime of Bribery of
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Adopted(citing case) (2017)
phrase: "adopted in"
Adopted(citing case) (2013)
phrase: "adopted in"
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·Tribune Co. v. Green, 440 So. 2d 484 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983).

Cited 13 times | Published | Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal | 10 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 1034

Count 4 charged that Judge Leon violated section 838.015(1), Florida Statutes, by accepting gambling
0 red0 yellow4 green4 procedural
Cited as authorityDavis (1998)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityIn Re Arya (1992)
phrase: "rule_authority"
AdoptedCobb (1988)
phrase: "adopted by"
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·State v. Giardino, 363 So. 2d 201 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978).

Cited 12 times | Published | Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal

felonies, to wit: BRIBERY, in violation of Section 838.015, Florida Statutes, or UNLAWFUL COMPENSATION
0 red0 yellow4 green1 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2022)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityDorian (1993)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityDevine (1987)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Bricker v. State, 462 So. 2d 556 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985).

Cited 9 times | Published | Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal | 10 Fla. L. Weekly 203

Bricker challenges his conviction of bribery [§ 838.015, Fla. Stat. (1981)] and receiving unauthorized
0 red0 yellow4 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityWilbur (2011)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityJ.P. (1989)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityHerbert (1988)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Merckle v. State, 512 So. 2d 948 (Fla. 2d DCA 1987).

Cited 5 times | Published | Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal | 12 Fla. L. Weekly 1245

Arden M. Merckle, for bribery in violation of section 838.015(1), Florida Statutes (1981), receiving unlawful
0 red0 yellow3 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityGonse (2007)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityCastillo (2004)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityMerckle (1988)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·United States v. Casamayor, 837 F.2d 1509 (11th Cir. 1988).

Cited 2 times | Published | Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | 1988 WL 7387

bribery chargeable under state law. See Fla.State. § 838.015. The district court instructed the jury on the
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Cited as authorityIppolito (2003)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityIppolito (1998)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityThomas (1996)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Trushin v. State, 384 So. 2d 668 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980).

Cited 4 times | Published | Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal

significantly amended version of this statute is now Section 838.015, Florida Statutes (1979). As to the reasons
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Cited as authorityAlexander (1984)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityCioli (1984)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityTrushin (1982)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Nicor Int'l Corp. v. El Paso Corp., 318 F. Supp. 2d 1160 (S.D. Fla. 2004).

Cited 4 times | Published | District Court, S.D. Florida | 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9674

anything of value to influence an official action. § 838.015, Fla. Stat.; 18 U.S.C. § 201.[10] The elements
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Cited as authorityPERLMAN (2024)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityLawrence (2009)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityIn Re Sinaltrainal Litigation (2006)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·State v. Napoli, 373 So. 2d 933 (Fla. 4th DCA 1979).

Cited 3 times | Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal

of law, the legislature enacted what is now Section 838.015, Florida Statutes (1977). Subsection (2) of
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Cited as authorityAtkins (2006)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityCom. (2002)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityTrushin (1980)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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Merckle v. State, 529 So. 2d 269 (Fla. 1988).

Cited 6 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 13 Fla. L. Weekly 381

conduct to constitute a third-degree felony. § 838.015(3), Fla. Stat. (1985). Merckle was charged with
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Watkins v. State, 363 So. 2d 575 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978).

Cited 5 times | Published | Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal

information in two counts with: (1) bribery [§ 838.015, Fla. Stat. (1977)], and (2) receiving unlawful
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·Garrett v. State, 508 So. 2d 427 (Fla. 2d DCA 1987).

Cited 3 times | Published | Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal | 12 Fla. L. Weekly 1244

of the offenses of bribery, a violation of section 838.015(1), Florida Statutes (1981), and receiving
0 red0 yellow1 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityGonzalez (1989)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Hope v. State, 508 So. 2d 425 (Fla. 2d DCA 1987).

Cited 3 times | Published | Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal | 12 Fla. L. Weekly 1243

for the offenses of bribery, a violation of section 838.015(1), Florida Statutes (1981), and giving, offering
0 red0 yellow1 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityRuth (1994)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Merckle v. State, 541 So. 2d 1312 (Fla. 2d DCA 1989).

Cited 2 times | Published | Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal | 1989 WL 34847

SCHOONOVER and THREADGILL, JJ., concur. NOTES [1] § 838.015(1), Fla. Stat. (1981). [2] § 838.016(2), Fla
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Review deniedMerckle (1990)
phrase: "review denied"
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·Roque v. State, 664 So. 2d 928 (Fla. 1995).

Cited 1 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 1995 WL 555309

...les, for petitioner. Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General and Linda S. Katz, Assistant Attorney General, Miami, for respondent. SHAW, Justice. We have for review State v. Roque, 640 So.2d 97 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994), wherein the district court declared section 838.15, Florida Statutes (Supp....
...Smith wherein Smith paid Roque between thirty-three and forty percent of each commission as a "payback" on deals entered into between October 1, 1990, and June 30, 1991. *929 Roque was charged with thirty-five counts of "commercial bribe receiving" in violation of section 838.15. The court granted Roque's motion to dismiss the charges, finding the statute unconstitutionally vague and susceptible to arbitrary application. The district court reversed, declaring the statute constitutional. The State contends that section 838.15 is neither vague nor susceptible to arbitrary application, is expressly limited to commercial transactions, clearly states what act is prohibited, specifically enumerates the business relationships to which it applies, and contains an adequate standard of guilt. We disagree. Section 838.15 bans commercial bribe receiving and provides in full: 838.15 Commercial bribe receiving....
...he direction of the affairs of an organization; or (e) An arbitrator or other purportedly disinterested adjudicator or referee. (2) Commercial bribe receiving is a third degree felony, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. § 838.15, Fla. Stat. (Supp. 1990). We have declared similar statutes invalid on various grounds: [1] Some were impermissibly vague [2] or were subject to arbitrary application. [3] The present statute suffers from similar ills. As noted above, section 838.15 makes it a third-degree felony for an "employee" to accept a benefit in return for violating a "common law duty." Few workers in Florida, however, are aware that they owe such a "common law duty" to their employers and fewer still could define the dimensions of that duty....
...is simply too open-ended to limit prosecutorial discretion in any reasonable way. The statute could be used, at best, to prosecute, as a crime, the most insignificant of transgressions or, at worst, to misuse the judicial process... . DeLeo, 356 So.2d at 308 (footnote omitted). Section 838.15 invites arbitrary application of the law. Based on the foregoing, we find section 838.15, Florida Statutes (Supp....
0 red0 yellow1 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityHussing (2024)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Werner v. Hickey, 920 F. Supp. 1257 (M.D. Fla. 1996).

Cited 1 times | Published | District Court, M.D. Florida | 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4693, 1996 WL 172362

petitioner are punishable under Florida Statute § 838.015 (bribery) and Florida Statute § 838.016 (misuse
0 red0 yellow1 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityNoel (1998)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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Ellison v. State, 132 So. 3d 291 (Fla. 4th DCA 2014).

Cited 1 times | Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal | 2014 WL 51865, 2014 Fla. App. LEXIS 156

bribery by a public servant in violation of section 838.015(1), Florida Statutes (2008). The defendant
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·State v. Lopez, 522 So. 2d 997 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1988).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 13 Fla. L. Weekly 804, 1988 Fla. App. LEXIS 1233, 1988 WL 26277

subsequently charged with seven violations of section 838.015(1), Florida Statutes (1985).1 Lopez filed a
0 red0 yellow2 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityGaio (2000)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityCole (1989)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·State v. Flansbaum-Talabisco, 121 So. 3d 568 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013).

Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal | 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 11602, 2013 WL 3811759

criminal. § 838.016(1), Fla. Stat. (2010).2 Section 838.015(1), Florida Statutes (2010), contains the definition
0 red0 yellow2 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2016)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2015)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Savoie v. State, 401 So. 2d 1138 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1981).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 1981 Fla. App. LEXIS 20569

bribery of a police officer in violation of section 838.015, Florida Statutes (1979). In this appeal Savoie
0 red0 yellow1 green0 procedural
Cited as authoritySavoie (1982)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Gilbert v. State, 593 So. 2d 597 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1992).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 1992 Fla. App. LEXIS 1047, 1992 WL 21860

his conviction for bribery of a public servant, § 838.015, Fla. Stat. (1991). Based upon the trial court’s
0 red0 yellow1 green0 procedural
Cited as authorityOverton (2000)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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Benefield v. State, 351 So. 2d 56 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977).

Published | Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal | 1977 Fla. App. LEXIS 16441

(1973), and the other count in violation of Section 838.015, Florida Statutes (1975), both of which are
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Donnelly v. State, 693 So. 2d 125 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1997).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 1997 Fla. App. LEXIS 4996, 1997 WL 240821

act apart from the offer to make a bribe. Section 838.015, Florida Statutes, makes no distinction between
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Sardella v. State, 526 So. 2d 918 (Fla. 2d DCA 1988).

Published | Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal | 13 Fla. L. Weekly 828, 1988 Fla. App. LEXIS 1186, 1988 WL 25458

Bribery by a Public Servant, Florida Statutes, § 838.015(1). Thus, the trial court’s reliance on that reason
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Richard S. Batterson v. State, 217 So. 3d 1062 (Fla. 5th DCA 2016).

Published | Florida 5th District Court of Appeal | 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 19704

his conviction of bribery in violation of section 838.015(1), Florida Statutes (2013). Because I believe
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State v. Sune, 360 So. 2d 1128 (Fla. 2d DCA 1978).

Published | Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal | 1978 Fla. App. LEXIS 16294

elect between the counts of bribery under Section 838.015, Florida Statutes (1977), and unlawful compensation
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State v. Roque, 640 So. 2d 97 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1994).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 1994 Fla. App. LEXIS 6896, 1994 WL 330174

commercial bribe receiving statute, Florida Statutes Section 838.15 (Supp.1990), unconstitutionally vague. We reverse
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State v. Gonzalez, 528 So. 2d 1356 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988).

Published | Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal | 13 Fla. L. Weekly 1917, 1988 Fla. App. LEXIS 3626, 1988 WL 81847

bribery is reversed. The bribery statute, section 838.015(1), Florida Statutes (1985), prohibits any
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In Re: Stand. Jury Instructions in Crim. Cases—report 2016-10, 214 So. 3d 1290 (Fla. 2017).

Published | Supreme Court of Florida

Appendix 19.1 BRIBERY OF A PUBLIC SERVANT § 838.015(1), Fla._Stat. To prove the crime of Bribery

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