Florida Statutes 943.0582 – Diversion program expunction
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(1) Notwithstanding any law dealing generally with the preservation and destruction of public records, the department shall adopt rules to provide for the expunction of a nonjudicial record of the arrest of a minor who has successfully completed a diversion program.
(2) As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Diversion program” means a program under s. 985.12, s. 985.125, s. 985.155, or s. 985.16 or a program to which a referral is made by a state attorney under s. 985.15.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 943.0582
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- minor: includes any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. 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
(b) “Expunction” has the same meaning ascribed in and effect as s. 943.0585, except that:
1. Section 943.0585(6)(b) does not apply, except that the criminal history record of a person whose record is expunged pursuant to this section shall be made available only to criminal justice agencies for the purpose of:
a. Determining eligibility for diversion programs;
b. A criminal investigation; or
c. Making a prosecutorial decision under s. 985.15.
2. Records maintained by local criminal justice agencies in the county in which the arrest occurred that are eligible for expunction pursuant to this section shall be sealed as the term is used in s. 943.059.
(3) The department shall expunge the nonjudicial arrest record of a minor who has successfully completed a diversion program if that minor:
(a) Submits an application for diversion expunction, on a form prescribed by the department, signed by the minor’s parent or legal guardian, or by the minor if he or she has reached the age of majority at the time of applying.
(b) Submits to the department, with the application, an official written statement from the state attorney for the county in which the arrest occurred certifying that the minor has successfully completed that county’s diversion program; that the minor’s participation in the program was based on an arrest for a misdemeanor offense or for a felony offense, other than a forcible felony as defined in s. 776.08 or a felony involving the manufacture, sale, purchase, transport, possession, or use of a firearm or weapon as those terms are defined in s. 790.001; and that the minor has not otherwise been charged by the state attorney with, or found to have committed, any criminal offense or comparable ordinance violation.
(c) Has never been, before filing the application for expunction, charged by the state attorney with, or found to have committed, any criminal offense or comparable ordinance violation.
(4) Expunction or sealing granted under this section does not prevent the minor who receives such relief from petitioning for the expunction or sealing of a later criminal history record as provided for in ss. 943.0583, 943.0585, and 943.059, if the minor is otherwise eligible under those sections.
(5) A nonjudicial record of the arrest of a minor who has successfully completed a diversion program which is sealed or expunged under this section and which is retained by the department is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and Fla. Const. Art. I, § 24(a), except that the record may be made available to criminal justice agencies only for the purposes specified in subparagraph (2)(b)1. The exemption under this subsection applies to records held by the department before, on, or after July 1, 2022. This subsection is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2027, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.