Terms Used In Florida Statutes 455.2285

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Department: means the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. See Florida Statutes 455.01
  • 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.
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Profession: means any activity, occupation, profession, or vocation regulated by the department in the Divisions of Certified Public Accounting, Professions, Real Estate, and Regulation. See Florida Statutes 455.01
The department is directed to prepare and submit a report to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives by November 1 of each year. In addition to finances and any other information the Legislature may require, the report shall include statistics and relevant information, profession by profession, detailing:

(1) The revenues, expenditures, and cash balances for the prior year, and a review of the adequacy of existing fees.
(2) The number of complaints received and investigated.
(3) The number of findings of probable cause made.
(4) The number of findings of no probable cause made.
(5) The number of administrative complaints filed.
(6) The disposition of all administrative complaints.
(7) A description of disciplinary actions taken.
(8) A description of any effort by the department, for any disciplinary cases under its jurisdiction, to reduce or otherwise close any investigation or disciplinary proceeding not before the Division of Administrative Hearings under chapter 120 or otherwise not completed within 1 year after the initial filing of a complaint under this chapter.
(9) The status of the development and implementation of rules providing for disciplinary guidelines pursuant to s. 455.2273.
(10) Such recommendations for administrative and statutory changes necessary to facilitate efficient and cost-effective operation of the department and the various boards.