Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 918.10 (2025)

Charge to jury; request for instructions.

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918.10 Charge to jury; request for instructions.—

(1) At the conclusion of argument of counsel, the court shall charge the jury. The charge shall be only on the law of the case and must include the penalty for the offense for which the accused is being charged.

(2) All charges to the jury shall be delivered orally and shall be taken by the court reporter, transcribed, and filed.

(3) At or after the close of the evidence, a party may file written requests that the court instruct the jury on the law as stated in the requests. The court shall inform counsel of its proposed action on the requests before their arguments to the jury.

History.—s. 215, ch. 19554, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 8663(223); s. 1, ch. 22775, 1945; s. 117, ch. 70-339.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 109 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1942–2023 · leading case: Brown v. State, 206 So. 2d 377 (Fla. 1968).

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Brown v. State, 206 So. 2d 377 (Fla. 1968). · cites it 5× “The problem of instructions is dealt with in our discussion of Fla. Stat. § 918.10 (1965), F.S.A., infra.”

Brown v. State, 124 So. 2d 481 (Fla. 1960). · cites it 4× “Section 918.10(4), Florida Statutes, F.S.”

Williams v. State, 285 So. 2d 13 (Fla. 1973). · cites it 8× “"[1] Specifically, the District Court may wish to consider the applicability of Fla. Stat. § 918.10 (4), F.S.A., and/or F.”

Francis Wong v. State of Florida, 212 So. 3d 351 (Fla. 2017). · cites it 4× “§ 918.10, Fla. Stat. (2013). Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.”

Smith v. State, 407 So. 2d 894 (Fla. 1981). · cites it 2× “See § 918.10(1), Fla. Stat. (1977); Fla.R. Crim.”

Williams v. State, 66 So. 3d 360 (Fla. 2d DCA 2011). · cites it 3× “This rule of procedure essentially overrides the language of section 918.10, Florida Statutes (2008), which has long stated that the charge to the jury “must include the penalty for the offense.”

Palazzolo v. State, 754 So. 2d 731 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000). · cites it 4× “390(a) overrides section 918.10(1), Florida Statutes (1997), and precludes an instruction explaining a penalty when the jury will play no role in sentencing.”

State v. Terry, 336 So. 2d 65 (Fla. 1976). · cites it 2× “[2] Codified as Fla. Stat. § 918.10 (1) (1973), the statute provides: At the conclusion of argument of counsel, the court shall charge the jury.”

Hamilton v. State, 152 So. 2d 793 (Fla. 2d DCA 1963). · cites it 4× “, section 142, pages 388-389; section 918.10(3), Florida Statutes, F.S.”

State v. Brown, 118 So. 2d 574 (Fla. 2d DCA 1960). · cites it 8× “2d 207 , in construing Section 918.10, Florida Statutes, F.S.A., which directs the court to charge upon the penalty of a crime, quoted with approval the above language of State v.”

Florida Bar re Amendment to Rules—Crim. Procedure, 462 So. 2d 386 (Fla. 1984). · cites it 2× “The rule directing the trial judge to give such instructions upon request of either party is based upon case law and section 918.10, Florida Statutes (1983). I would continue this practice.”

Foreman v. State, 47 So. 2d 308 (Fla. 1950). · cites it 4× “Section 918.10(2), Florida Statutes, 1941, and F.”

Show all 109 citing cases →

— 918.10(1) — 16 cases

Smith v. State, 407 So. 2d 894 (Fla. 1981). “See § 918.10(1), Fla. Stat. (1977); Fla.R. Crim.”

Palazzolo v. State, 754 So. 2d 731 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000). “390(a) overrides section 918.10(1), Florida Statutes (1997), and precludes an instruction explaining a penalty when the jury will play no role in sentencing.”

Johnson v. State, 842 So. 2d 228 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003).

McBride v. State, 197 So. 2d 850 (Fla. 1st DCA 1967).

Williams v. State, 66 So. 3d 360 (Fla. 2d DCA 2011). “This rule of procedure essentially overrides the language of section 918.10, Florida Statutes (2008), which has long stated that the charge to the jury “must include the penalty for the offense.”

— 918.10(2) — 4 cases

Matire v. State, 232 So. 2d 209 (Fla. 4th DCA 1970).

Foreman v. State, 47 So. 2d 308 (Fla. 1950). “Section 918.10(2), Florida Statutes, 1941, and F.”

Baker v. State, 247 So. 2d 495 (Fla. 2d DCA 1971).

Roby v. State, 229 So. 2d 604 (Fla. 2d DCA 1969).

— 918.10(3) — 7 cases

Hamilton v. State, 152 So. 2d 793 (Fla. 2d DCA 1963). “, section 142, pages 388-389; section 918.10(3), Florida Statutes, F.S.”

Foreman v. State, 47 So. 2d 308 (Fla. 1950). “Section 918.10(2), Florida Statutes, 1941, and F.”

Wilkinson v. State, 322 So. 2d 620 (Fla. 3d DCA 1975).

Brady v. State, 190 So. 2d 607 (Fla. 3d DCA 1966).

Pearsall v. State, 215 So. 2d 58 (Fla. 1st DCA 1968).

— 918.10(4) — 42 cases

Brown v. State, 124 So. 2d 481 (Fla. 1960). “Section 918.10(4), Florida Statutes, F.S.”

Norman v. Gloria Farms, Inc., 668 So. 2d 1016 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996).

Townsend v. State, 97 So. 2d 712 (Fla. 1st DCA 1957).

Irvin v. State, 66 So. 2d 288 (Fla. 1953).

Hamilton v. State, 152 So. 2d 793 (Fla. 2d DCA 1963). “, section 142, pages 388-389; section 918.10(3), Florida Statutes, F.S.”

— 918.10(5) — 1 case

White v. State, 122 So. 2d 340 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1960).

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