Florida Statutes 17.05 – Subpoenas; sworn statements; enforcement proceedings
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(1) The Chief Financial Officer may demand and require full answers on oath from any and every person, party or privy to any account, claim, or demand against or by the state, such as it may be the Chief Financial Officer’s official duty to examine into, and which answers the Chief Financial Officer may require to be in writing and to be sworn to before the Chief Financial Officer or the department or before any judicial officer or clerk of any court of the state so as to enable the Chief Financial Officer to determine the justice or legality of such account, claim, or demand.
(2) In exercising authority under this chapter, the Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee may:
(a) Issue subpoenas, administer oaths, and examine witnesses.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 17.05
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
- oath: includes affirmations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
- Testify: Answer questions in court.
- Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
- writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01
(b) Require or permit a person to file a statement in writing, under oath or otherwise as the Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee requires, as to all the facts and circumstances concerning the matter to be audited, examined, or investigated.
(3) Subpoenas shall be issued by the Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee under seal commanding such witnesses to appear before the Chief Financial Officer or his or her representative or the department at a specified time and place and to bring books, records, and documents as specified or to submit books, records, and documents for inspection. Such subpoenas may be served by an authorized representative of the Chief Financial Officer or the department.
(4) In the event of noncompliance with a subpoena issued pursuant to this section, the Chief Financial Officer or the department may petition the circuit court of the county in which the person subpoenaed resides or has his or her principal place of business for an order requiring the subpoenaed person to appear and testify and to produce books, records, and documents as specified in the subpoena. The court may grant legal, equitable, or injunctive relief, including, but not limited to, issuance of a writ of ne exeat or the restraint by injunction or appointment of a receiver of any transfer, pledge, assignment, or other disposition of such person’s assets or any concealment, alteration, destruction, or other disposition of subpoenaed books, records, or documents, as the court deems appropriate, until such person has fully complied with such subpoena and the Chief Financial Officer or the department has completed the audit, examination, or investigation. The Chief Financial Officer or the department is entitled to the summary procedure provided in s. 51.011, and the court shall advance the cause on its calendar. Costs incurred by the Chief Financial Officer or the department to obtain an order granting, in whole or in part, such petition for enforcement of a subpoena shall be charged against the subpoenaed person, and failure to comply with such order shall be a contempt of court.