Judicial Notice Legal Lesson Fla. Stat. 90.

201-207,
Author: leiGGGh33 | Category: Blog
ABSTRACT: Judicial notice is a rule of evidence tat allo!s a fact to "e introduced into
evidence if te trut of tat fact is so !ell #no!n tat it cannot "e refuted. $ere are
certain facts tat te court is re%uired to ta#e &udicial notice of even if not re%uested "'
te (arties, suc as a legislative statute tat a"olises te defenses to divorce and legal
se(aration of condonation, collusion, recri)ination, and laces *Fla. Stat. 61.044+.
$ere are certain )atters tat te court is (er)itted to ta#e &udicial notice of "ut is not
re%uired to, suc as te distance "et!een t!o locations. ,f a court is going to )a#e a
ruling on !eter to ta#e &udicial notice of a fact it is not re%uired to ta#e &udicial notice
of, te court )ust give eac side an o((ortunit' to (resent argu)ent on teir (osition of
te &udicial notice. $e court is also (er)itted to rel' u(on infor)ation tat is not
(resented "' eiter of te (arties in ta#ing &udicial notice, as long as te court indicates
!at infor)ation it relied u(on, )a#es te infor)ation (art of te record, and allo!s te
(arties to (resent argu)ent regarding !eter or not te )atter sould "e &udiciall'
noticed. Failing to ta#e &udicial notice of a fact does not (revent te court fro) later
deciding to ta#e &udicial notice of te sa)e fact in a later earing.
Statutes-
Fla. Stat. 90.201 atter! "hi#h $u!t %e &u'i#ially (oti#e'
$e .ourt S)A** ta#e &udicial notice of-
o /ecisional, constitutional, and (u"lic statutor' la! and resolutions of te
Florida Legislature and te .ongress of te 0nited States. *e1. Fla. Stat. 90.201-
2atters !ic )ust "e Judiciall' Noticed+
o Florida rules of court tat ave state!ide a((lication, its o!n rules, and te
rules of 0nited States courts ado(ted "' te 0nited States Su(re)e .ourt. *e1.
Fla. 3. Fa). La! 3. 4roc. 12.560-7vidence+
o 3ules of court of te 0nited States Su(re)e .ourt and te 0nited States
.ourts of 8((eal *e1. 3ule 6. of te 0.S. Su(re)e .ourt 3ules-8d)ission to te
"ar+
Fla. Stat. 90.202 atter! "hi#h $ay %e &u'i#ially (oti#e'
$e .ourt ay ta#e &udicial notice of-
o S(ecial, local, and (rivate acts and resolutions of te .ongress of te 0nited
States and of te Florida Legislature
o /ecisional, constitutional, and (u"lic statutor' la! of ever' oter state,
territor', and &urisdiction of te 0nited States.
o .ontents of te Federal 3egister
o La!s of foreign nations and of an organi9ation of nations.
o :fficial actions of te legislative, e1ecutive, and &udicial de(art)ents of te
0nited States and of an' state, territor', or &urisdiction of te 0nited States
o 3ecords of an' court of tis state or of an' court of record of te 0nited States
or of an' state, territor', or &urisdiction of te 0nited States
o 3ules of court of an' court of tis state or of an' court of record of te 0nited
States or of an' oter state, territor', or &urisdiction of te 0nited States
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o 4rovisions of all )unici(al and countr' carters and carter a)end)ents of
tis states, (rovided te' are availa"le in (rinted co(ies or as certified co(ies.
o 3ules (ro)ulgated "' govern)ental agencies of tis state !ic are
(u"lised in te Florida 8d)inistrative .ode or "ound !ritten co(ies
o /ul' enacted ordinances and resolutions of )unici(alities and countries
located in Florida,
o Facts tat are not su"&ect to dis(ute "ecause te' are generall' #no!n !itin
te territorial &urisdiction of te court. *e1. Fle)ing ,sland is in .la' .ount'+
o Facts tat are not su"&ect to dis(ute "ecause te' are ca(a"le of accurate
and read' deter)inations "' resort to sources !ose accurac' cannot "e
%uestioned. *$e distance "et!een te office and te courtouse.+
o :fficial seals of govern)ental agencies and de(art)ents of te 0nited States
and of an' state, territor', or &urisdiction of te 0nited States.
Fla. Stat. 90.203 Co$+ul!ory ,u'i#ial -oti#e u+o( re.ue!t
8 court S)A** ta#e &udicial notice of an' )atter in Fla. Stat. 90.202 !en a
(art' re%uests it and-
o ;ives eac adverse (art' ti)el' !ritten notice of te re%uest, (roof of !ic is
filed !it te court, to ena"le te adverse (art' to (re(are toe )eet te re%uest.
o Furnises te court !it sufficient infor)ation to ena"le it to ta#e &udicial
notice of te )atter.
Fla. Stat. 90.204 /eter$i(atio( o0 +ro+riety o0 &u'i#ial (oti#e a(' (ature o0 $atter
(oti#e'
<en a court deter)ines te ta#e &udicial notice of a )atter on its o!n )otion, or
!en a (art' re%uests &udicial notice and fails to co)(l' !it Fla. Stat.
90.203112, te court )ust give eac (art' an o((ortunit' to (resent argu)ent
!' te court sould or sould not ta#e &udicial notice.
.ourt can use an' infor)ation it !ants !en deciding !eter to ta#e &udicial
notice of a )atter !it te e1ce(tion of (rivileged infor)ation, or infor)ation tat
is e1cluded as irrelevant underFla. Stat. 90.403.
<en te court relies on infor)ation not received in o(en court te court is
re%uired to )a#e te infor)ation relied u(on a (art of te court record, afford
eac (art' an o((ortunit' to callenge te infor)ation, and allo! eac (art' to
offer additional infor)ation "efore &udicial notice is ta#en.

Fla. Stat. 90.203 /e(ial o0 a re.ue!t 0or &u'i#ial (oti#e.
<en a court is going to den' a re%uest for &udicial notice, te court sall infor)
te (arties at te earliest (ractica"le ti)e and indicate for te record tat it as
denied te re%uest for &udicial notice.
Fla. Stat. 90.206 4(!tru#ti(g &ury o( &u'i#ial (oti#e.
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$e court )a' instruct te &ur' during te trial to acce(t as a fact a )atter
&udiciall' noticed.
Fla. Stat. 90.205 ,u'i#ial (oti#e %y trial #ourt i( !u%!e.ue(t +ro#ee'i(g!
even if a court fails to ta#e &udicial notice of a )atter in one (roceeding does not
(reclude te court fro) ta#ing &udicial notice in a later (roceeding.
Case Law
S+e(#er *.ourt !as (er)itted to ta#e &udicial notice of te fact tat /=3S !as
(er)itted to collect )one' fro) indigent (arents for cild care services rendered+
/67ART6-T 8F )6A*T) A-/ R6)AB4*4TAT496 S6R94C6S: A++ella(t: ;.
A<88/ S76-C6R a(' A*A S76-C6R: A++ellee!.
-o. A=>>
/i!tri#t Court o0 A++eal o0 Flori'a: Fir!t /i!tri#t
430 So. 2' 309? 19>3 Fla. A++. *6@4S 1904>
A+ril 14: 19>3.
7R48R )4ST8RA: >??1@ 8n 8((eal fro) te .ircuit .ourt for :#aloosa .ount'. $o)as
/. Aeasle', Judge.
C8B-S6*: Jon <. Searc', /e Funia# S(rings, for a((ellant.
Nic#olas ;. 4etersen, Fort <alton Aeac, for a((ellees.

,B/G6S: Aefore N,22:NS, J. A::$= and <,;;,N$:N, JJ., .:N.03.
874-48- BA: N,22:NS
874-48-
>?610@ N,22:NS, J.
$e /e(art)ent of =ealt and 3ea"ilitative Services *=3S+ a((eals fro) final
&udg)ent in favor of a((ellees, 2r. and 2rs. S(encer, after a non-&ur' trial in an action
"rougt "' =3S against te S(encers to recover costs incurred "' te State in
)aintaining teir t!o )inor cildren in foster care. <e reverse and re)and.
$e S(encersB t!o cildren !ere ad&udicated de(endent and !ere re)oved fro) teir
custod' (ursuant to te (rovisions of .a(ter C9, Florida Statutes. $e)(orar' custod'
!as a!arded to =3S !ic (laced te t!o cildren in foster care. =3S (rovided for te
care, su"sistence and )aintenance of te cildren for al)ost t!o 'ears until Januar'
2D, 19E1, !en te cildren !ere returned to te custod' of te S(encers.
4ursuant to Section 502.CC, Florida Statutes, =3S "illed te S(encers )ontl' for
costs incurred "' te State in )aintaining te cildren in foster care. $at section
(rovides for (arents of >??2@ )inors receiving services "' =3S to (a' fees for suc
services. Section 502.CC*5+ furter (rovides in (ertinent (art-
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$e de(art)ent sall onl' collectF fro)F (arentsF fees consistent !it teF
(arentsBF a"ilit' to (a'. 4arents of )inors receiving services in a (rogra) for !ic
fees ave "een esta"lised sall (a' fees consistent !it teir a"ilit' to (a'F.
Section 502.CC*C+ also re%uires =3S to deter)ine annuall' te cost of (roviding suc
services and unifor) criteria for deter)ining a"ilit' to (a'. $e S(encers co)(leted
=3SBs )aintenance fee disclosure for). 8t tat ti)e, teir total inco)e consisted of
a((ro1i)atel' G 1100 (er )ont in veteranBs "enefits. =3S "illed te) G 12C (er
)ont (er cild as and for a reasona"le contri"ution to!ards te StateBs cost of
)aintaining te cildren in foster care ta#ing into account te S(encersB a"ilit' to (a' at
te ti)e of suc "illings and te criteria set fort in .a(ter 10-D, Fla.8d)in..ode,
!ic !as (ro)ulgated (ursuant to Section 502.CC*C+.
$e S(encers failed to )a#e an' (a')ents to =3S or to contact te fee collection
office regarding teir failure or ina"ilit' to (a' te )ontl' "ills. ,n June, 19E1, =3S
>??C@ filed suit to collect G 6,CE0.20 in (ast due )aintenance fees. $e trial court denied
=3SBs )otion for su))ar' &udg)ent and te case !as tried in Fe"ruar', 19E2.
$e trial court entered &udg)ent in favor of te S(encers and against =3S on te
grounds tat te S(encers, at the time of the trial, !ere indigent, and H)entall' and
('sicall' disa"led.I /uring te trial, te court interru(ted =3S counselBs cross
e1a)ination of 2r. S(encer as counsel !as %uestioning 2r. S(encer concerning is
e1(enditures during te (eriod of ti)e !en te )aintenance costs !ere "eing incurred
and te )ontl' "illings !ere "eing sent to te S(encers. $e trial &udge advised
defense counsel-
$e )aterial %uestion on tat, 2r. Searc', is not !at e did ten "ut is a"ilit' to (a'
no!. , tin# tat is te intention of te statute to give te courts so)e autorit' in tat to
deter)ine !eter or not e is a"le to (a' no!, not !eter e (aid ten or !as a"le to
(a' ten.
<e agree !it counsel for =3S tat te trial court erroneousl' assu)ed tat =3S !as
(recluded fro) recovering &udg)ent for te un(aid )aintenance fees "' reason of
indigenc' of te S(encers at te ti)e of te trial.
>?611@ >??5@ <e old tat under Section 502.CC, Florida Statutes, =3S is autori9ed to
carge (arents of )inors receiving services in a foster care (rogra) fees !ic ave
"een (ro(erl' esta"lised (ursuant to tat section and !ic re(resent te actual cost
of suc services, "ut not greater tan te (arentsB a"ilit' to (a' at te ti)e suc costs of
services are incurred. ,n te instant case, =3S "illed te S(encers on a )ontl' "asis
during te ti)e te cildren !ere in foster care. 8n' issue as to te S(encersB a"ilit' to
(a' )ust relate to tat (eriod of ti)e, not at te ti)e of te trial or final &udg)ent.
=3S also contends tat te trial court erred !en it refused to ta#e &udicial notice of
.a(ter 10-D, Fla.8d)in. .ode. $at ca(ter contains te guidelines and (rocedure "'
!ic =3S deter)ines )aintenance fees "ased u(on a"ilit' to (a' as re%uired "'
Section 502.CC, Florida Statutes. 8ltoug no o"&ection !as )ade "' o((osing
counsel, te trial court denied te re%uest o"serving tat it did not "elieve it could ta#e
&udicial notice of an ad)inistrative rule. .ontrar' to te trial courtBs assu)(tion, Section
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90.202*9+, Florida Statutes, (rovides tat a court )a' ta#e &udicial notice >??6@ of Hrules
(ro)ulgated "' govern)ental agencies of tis state !ic are (u"lised in te Florida
8d)inistrative .ode or in "ound !ritten co(ies.I 0(on re)and and te furter
(roceedings ereinafter ordered, te trial court sall consider =3SBs &udicial notice
re%uest in ligt of te (rovisions of Section 90.202, Florida Statutes.
Finall', =3S contends tat te trial court erred in den'ing its )otion for su))ar'
&udg)ent. <e old tat te trial court did not err in den'ing =3SBs )otion.
$e &udg)ent for a((ellees is reversed and tis cause is re)anded to te trial court for
furter (roceedings consistent !it tis o(inion including, if necessar', te receiving of
additional evidence.
37J73S7/ and 3728N/7/.
.o))ents are closed.
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