Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 938.19 (2025)

Teen courts.

✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session

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938.19 Teen courts.—

(1) Notwithstanding s. 318.121, in each county in which a teen court has been created, the board of county commissioners may adopt a mandatory court cost to be assessed in specific cases by incorporating by reference the provisions of this section in a county ordinance. Assessments collected by the clerk of the circuit court under this section shall be deposited into an account specifically for the operation and administration of the teen court.

(2) A sum of up to $3 shall be assessed as a court cost in the circuit and county court in the county against each person who pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, or is convicted of, regardless of adjudication, or adjudicated delinquent for a violation of a criminal law, a delinquent act, or a municipal or county ordinance, or who pays a fine or civil penalty for any violation of chapter 316. Any person whose adjudication is withheld under s. 318.14(9) or (10) shall also be assessed the cost.

(3) The assessment for court costs shall be assessed in addition to any fine or civil penalty or other court cost and may not be deducted from the proceeds of that portion of any fine or civil penalty that is received by a municipality in the county or by the county in accordance with ss. 316.660 and 318.21. The assessment shall be specifically added to any civil penalty paid for a violation of chapter 316, regardless of whether the penalty is paid by mail, paid in person without request for a hearing, or paid after hearing and determination by the court. However, the assessment may not be made against a person for a violation of any state law or municipal or county ordinance relating to the parking of vehicles, with the exception of a violation of the handicapped parking laws.

(4)(a) The clerk of the circuit court shall collect the assessments for court costs established in this section and shall remit the assessments to the teen court monthly.

(b) The clerk of the circuit court shall withhold 5 percent of the assessments collected, which shall be retained as fee income of the office of the clerk of the circuit court.

(5) A teen court must account for all funds received under this section in a written report to the board of county commissioners. The report must be given to the commissioners by August 1 of each year or by a date required by the commissioners.

(6) A teen court may be administered by a nonprofit organization, a law enforcement agency, the court administrator, the clerk of the court, or another similar agency authorized by the board of county commissioners.

(7) A teen court administered in a county that adopts an ordinance to assess court costs under this section may not receive court costs collected under s. 939.185(1)(a)4.

History.—s. 2, ch. 96-382; s. 46, ch. 97-238; s. 16, ch. 97-271; s. 2, ch. 98-207; s. 126, ch. 2003-402; s. 71, ch. 2005-236; s. 2, ch. 2007-71.

Note.—Former s. 39.019.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 23 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1979–2025 · leading case: F.F. v. State, 218 So. 3d 455 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017).

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F.F. v. State, 218 So. 3d 455 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017). · cites it 7× “Section 938.19, Florida Statutes (2015), states, in pertinent part: (1) .”

Lang v. State, 856 So. 2d 1105 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003). · cites it 5× “A trial court sitting in a county that has enacted a county ordinance referencing section 938.19, Florida Statutes (2001), and "adopt[ing] a mandatory [teen court] cost.”

E.J. v. State, 912 So. 2d 382 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005). · cites it 10× “We affirm the adjudication of delinquency without comment, but we remand for the trial court to strike the imposition of a cost for teen court because section 938.19, Florida Statutes (2003), does not apply to juvenile cases.”

Ayoub v. State, 901 So. 2d 311 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005). · cites it 2× “" We note that the cost orders properly cite section 938.19 as the statutory authority for this cost.”

S.F. v. State, 56 So. 3d 116 (Fla. 3d DCA 2011). · cites it 3× “This is also true as to the teen courts fee, see section 938.19, Florida Statutes (2009), which also fails because Miami-Dade.”

J.W.J. v. State, 994 So. 2d 1223 (Fla. 1st DCA 2008). · cites it 2× “00 is authorized by section 938.19(2), Florida Statutes (2007), which expressly includes juveniles “adjudicated delinquent for a violation of a criminal law .”

Stewart v. State, 906 So. 2d 1128 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005). · cites it 2× “Stewart also challenges the teen court fee imposed pursuant to section 938.19, Florida Statutes (2002), because the trial court did not reference the county ordinance authorizing the imposition of such a fee.”

C.C. v. State, 127 So. 3d 685 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013). · cites it 3× “” In this case, at the time of disposition, the Broward Board of County Commissioners had not amended its ordinance assessing additional fees, pursuant to section 938.19, Florida Statutes (2011), to include a reference to juvenile delinquency cases.”

Williams v. State, 916 So. 2d 999 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005). · cites it 2× “800(b)(2) order struck a cost for the teen court under section 938.19, Florida Statutes (2002), and the State has not challenged this ruling.”

In re Amendments to the Florida Rules of Juv. Procedure, 123 So. 3d 1128 (Fla. 2013). · cites it 2× “the Teen Court cost, under section 938.19, Florida Statutes (if authorized by county ordinance); .”

Swift v. State, 53 So. 3d 394 (Fla. 2d DCA 2011). “We therefore strike the public defender fee without prejudice to it being reimposed on remand after the proper procedures are followed.”

In re Amendments to the Florida Rules of Juv. Procedure, 115 So. 3d 286 (Fla. 2013). “the Teen Court cost, under section 938.19. Florida Statutes (if authorized by county ordinance): *310 .”

Show all 23 citing cases →

— 938.19(2) — 8 cases

F.F. v. State, 218 So. 3d 455 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017). “Section 938.19, Florida Statutes (2015), states, in pertinent part: (1) .”

J.W.J. v. State, 994 So. 2d 1223 (Fla. 1st DCA 2008). “00 is authorized by section 938.19(2), Florida Statutes (2007), which expressly includes juveniles “adjudicated delinquent for a violation of a criminal law .”

JWJ v. State, 994 So. 2d 1223 (Fla. 1st DCA 2008).

H. R. v. State of Florida (Fla. 2d DCA 2019).

Chitrekha Ramsaran v. State of Florida (Fla. 4th DCA 2023).

— 938.19(l) — 1 case

C.C. v. State, 127 So. 3d 685 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013). “” In this case, at the time of disposition, the Broward Board of County Commissioners had not amended its ordinance assessing additional fees, pursuant to section 938.19, Florida Statutes (2011), to include a reference to juvenile delinquency cases.”

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