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Florida Statute 839.14 - Full Text and Legal Analysis Florida Statute 839.14 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Fla. Stat. § 839.14 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
839.14 Officer withholding records from successor.—If any officer, after the expiration of the time for which she or he may have been appointed or elected, or in case of death, her or his executors and administrators, or the person in possession thereof, shall willfully and unlawfully withhold or detain from her or his successors the records, papers, documents, or other writings appertaining and belonging to her or his office, or mutilate, destroy, take away, or otherwise prevent the complete possession by her or his successors of said records, documents, papers, or other writings, she or he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
History.—s. 21, Feb. 10, 1832; RS 2572; GS 3485; RGS 5360; CGL 7495; s. 1024, ch. 71-136; s. 1324, ch. 97-102.

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 839.14

M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd
§839.14PUBLIC ORDER CRIMESOFFICER WITHHOLD DETAIN ACCESS REC SUCCESSORM · 2nd
§839.14DAMAGE PROP-CRIM MISCHOFFICER MUTILATE OR DESTROY RECORDSM · 2nd

Cases Citing F.S. 839.14

Fla. Stat. § 839.14 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
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Ago (Fla. Att'y Gen. 1998).

Published | Florida Attorney General Reports

...tment of State all records, books, writings, letters, and documents kept or received by him or her in the transaction of official business." Failure to comply with this statutory mandate may subject the individual to criminal penalties. For example, section 839.14 , Florida Statutes, provides: "If any officer, after the expiration of the time for which she or he may have been appointed or elected, or in case of death, her or his executors and administrators, or the person in possession thereof,...

This Florida statute resource is curated by an Orange Park personal injury and workers' comp lawyer, a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.