The 2022 Florida Statutes (including 2022 Special Session A and 2023 Special Session B)
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The respondent argues that § 876.28 of Chapter 876 Fla. Stat., F.S.A. dealing with subversive activities, which authorizes a judge of "any court exercising general criminal jurisdiction" to charge "the grand jury" regarding investigation of certain subversive activities, should be construed as granting jurisdiction to criminal courts of record to summon and empanel grand juries, since those offenses would be triable there. We reject that contention as unsound. First, it is to be observed that the circuit courts are the courts of general criminal jurisdiction [Art. V, Section 6(3)] and that criminal courts of record are subordinate courts of limited and defined jurisdiction [Art. V, Section 9(2)]. Compare State ex rel. Buckheitt v. Butt, 25 Fla. 258, 5 So. 597. But if the reference in the statute to "any court exercising general criminal jurisdiction" is construed to mean criminal courts of record rather than circuit courts, the direction therein that a judge of such court could charge the grand jury necessarily has reference to the circuit court grand jury, since no other is authorized by law. For a judge of the criminal court of record to charge the circuit court grand…
. . . Accordingly, the total finance charge of $438.14 is doubled, resulting in damages of $876.28 for each . . .
. . . The respondent argues that § 876.28 of Chapter 876 Fla.Stat.-, F.S.A. dealing with subversive activities . . .
. . . For 1965 the increase in income was $4,192.76 and the deficiency was $876.28. . . .