Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 960.0021 (2025)

Legislative intent; advisement to victims.

✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section FL-LEGleg.state.fl.us JustiaFla. Statutes CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
960.0021 Legislative intent; advisement to victims.
(1) The Legislature finds that in order to ensure that crime victims can effectively understand and exercise their rights under s. 16, Art. I of the State Constitution, and to promote law enforcement that considers the interests of crime victims, victims must be properly advised in the courts of this state.
(2) The courts may fulfill their obligation to advise crime victims by doing one of the following:
(a) Making the following announcement at any arraignment, sentencing, or case-management proceeding:

“If you are the victim of a crime with a case pending before this court, you are advised that you have the right, upon request:

1. To be informed.

2. To be present.

3. To be heard at all stages of criminal proceedings.

4. To receive advance notification, when possible, of judicial proceedings and notification of scheduling changes, pursuant to section 960.001, Florida Statutes.

5. To seek crimes compensation and restitution.

6. To consult with the state attorney’s office in certain felony cases regarding the disposition of the case.

7. To make an oral or written victim impact statement at the time of sentencing of a defendant.

For further information regarding additional rights afforded to victims of crime, you may contact the state attorney’s office or obtain a listing of your rights from the Clerk of Court.”

(b) Displaying prominently on the courtroom doors posters giving notification of the existence and general provisions of this chapter. The Department of Legal Affairs shall provide the courts with the posters specified by this paragraph.
(3) The circuit court administrator shall coordinate efforts to ensure that victim rights information, as established in s. 960.001(1)(o), is provided to the clerk of the court.
(4) This section is only for the benefit of crime victims. Accordingly, a failure to comply with this section shall not affect the validity of any hearing, conviction, or sentence.
History.s. 1, ch. 2002-56; s. 2, ch. 2022-106; s. 133, ch. 2023-8.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2006–2026 · leading case: Connor v. State, 944 So. 2d 488 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006).
Connor v. State, 944 So. 2d 488 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006). · cites it 2× “, § 960.0021, Fla. Stat. (2005) (requiring that the trial court inform victims of their rights, which include the rights to be informed, to be present, to be heard, to receive advance notification of judicial proceedings and scheduling changes, and to seek crimes compensation…”
Moises Cordon v. State of Florida (Fla. 3d DCA 2026). · cites it 2× “; see also § 960.0021(2)(a), Fla. Stat. (2023). It instead found the interests of justice warranted the temporary exclusion of K.”
— 960.0021(2)(a) — 1 case
Moises Cordon v. State of Florida (Fla. 3d DCA 2026). “; see also § 960.0021(2)(a), Fla. Stat. (2023). It instead found the interests of justice warranted the temporary exclusion of K.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.

This Florida statute resource is curated by this site's author, a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.