FL · jury_instructions
Fla. Std. Jury Instr. (Crim.) 8.11
BATTERY ON A[N] [LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER]
[INSERT VICTIM’S JOB]
§ 784.07(2)(b), Fla. Stat.
To prove the crime of Battery on a[n] [Law Enforcement Officer] [Firefighter] [Emergency Medical Care Provider] [Hospital Personnel] [Traffic Accident Investigation Officer] [Traffic Infraction Enforcement Officer] [Parking Enforcement Specialist] [Security Officer Employed by the Board of Trustees of a Community College] [Law Enforcement Explorer] [Non-sworn Law Enforcement Agency Employee Certified as an Agency Inspector] [Blood Alcohol Analyst] [Breath Test Operator] [Railroad Special Officer] [Licensed Security Officer] [Utility Worker], the State must prove the following four elements beyond a reasonable doubt. The first element defines the crime of Battery.
Give 1a or 1b or both depending on the charging document.
1. (Defendant)
a. actually and intentionally touched or struck (victim) against [his] [her] will.
b. intentionally caused bodily harm to (victim).
2. (Victim) was a[n] [law enforcement officer] [firefighter] [emergency medical care provider] [hospital personnel] [traffic accident investigation officer] [traffic infraction enforcement officer] [parking enforcement specialist] [security officer employed by the board of trustees of a community college] [law enforcement explorer] [non-sworn law enforcement agency employee who was certified as an agency inspector] [blood alcohol analyst] [breath test operator while such employee was in uniform and engaged in processing, testing, evaluating, analyzing, or transporting a person who was detained or under arrest for DUI] [railroad special officer] [licensed security officer who wore a uniform that bore at least one patch or emblem that was visible at all times that clearly identified the employing agency and that clearly identified the person as a licensed security officer] [utility worker engaged in work on critical infrastructure].
3. (Defendant) knew (victim) was a[n] [law enforcement officer] [firefighter] [emergency medical care provider] [hospital personnel] [traffic accident investigation officer] [traffic infraction enforcement officer] [parking enforcement specialist] [security officer employed by the board of trustees of a community college] [law enforcement explorer] [non-sworn law enforcement agency employee who was certified as an agency inspector] [blood alcohol analyst] [breath test operator] [railroad special officer] [licensed security officer] [utility worker].
4. (Victim) was engaged in the lawful performance of [his] [her] duties when the Battery was committed.
Give only if applicable. Fey v. State, 125 So. 3d 828 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013).
An intentional touching or striking includes situations where a defendant knows that a touch or strike is substantially certain to result from his or her act.
Give only if applicable. Clark v. State, 783 So. 2d 967 (Fla. 2001).
A Battery may be found as a result of the intentional touching or intentional striking of something other than the actual body of the person. However, the object that is touched or struck must have such an intimate connection with the person that it is to be regarded as a part or as an extension of the person. [For example, in cases where a person intentionally drove into another occupied vehicle, it is for you to determine whether the vehicle that was struck should be considered as a part or as an extension of the person inside that vehicle. This determination may include consideration about whether the person was “touched” through the force of impact by being jostled or otherwise impacted through the transfer of energy from the collision.]
For cases where the alleged victim is a law enforcement officer, do not refer to the victim by name when instructing on the sentence below. Instead, the instruction must state the class of officers to which the victim belongs, e.g., deputy sheriff, probation officer, correctional officer. See Wright v. State, 586 So. 2d 1024 (Fla. 1991).
The Court instructs you that a (name of official position of victim designated in charge) is a law enforcement officer.
For cases involving other types of victims, insert definitions from § 784.07(1)(a)-(h), Fla. Stat., as appropriate. For utility workers, insert the definition of “critical infrastructure” from § 812.141, Fla. Stat.
Lesser Included Offenses
BATTERY ON a[n] [LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER]
[insert victim’s job] — 784.07(2)(b)
CATEGORY ONE
CATEGORY TWO
FLA. STAT.
INS. NO.
Battery
784.03
8.3
Attempt
777.04(1)
5.1
Provenance
- Source
- floridabar.org
- Retrieved
- 2026-08-18
- Edition
- 2026-08-18
- Content hash
5aa63ded270dfd3eb1af8ddf0d2ff546b3b0e3b87e35608fe99ccf0a8eac15c4
The link goes to the issuing authority’s own document — the one we read to produce this record. Where a source publishes whole titles rather than sections, your browser may need a moment to jump to the provision.
Unofficial copy of government-published law, reproduced from official sources with full provenance. Not an official publication; verify against official sources before relying on it in a filing. Records in the 'guidance' corpus, and only that corpus, are sub-regulatory (interpretive guidelines, survey procedures) and are not binding law. Validity bounds follow each jurisdiction's declared temporalBasis.