Terms Used In Florida Statutes 918.04

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
When a court determines that it does not have jurisdiction because the offense charged was committed in another county of this state, the defendant shall be committed to custody or admitted to bail for a reasonable time to await a warrant for his or her arrest from the proper county. The clerk shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the proper county of the location of the defendant. If the defendant is not arrested on a warrant from the proper county within the time set by the court, he or she shall be discharged. If the defendant has been admitted to bail, the court shall order the bond canceled and any deposit of money or bonds returned.