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732 So. 2d 1228

Docket No. 98-2668.

CAJ v. State

C.A.J., a Child, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.

District Court of Appeal of Florida · decided 1999-06-11

Cited by 7 later decisions — most recently July 2019

7 state decisions

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“as authorized in school sanctioned activities.”

quoted by 2 later decisions, including A.B. v. State, 757 So. 2d 1241 - AB v. State

Relies on 700 So. 2d 370 - LB v. State

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1999-06-11

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1James B. Gibson, Public Defender, and Barbara C. Davis, Assistant Public Defender, Daytona Beach, for Appellant.

¶2Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Pamela J. Koller, Assistant Attorney General, Daytona Beach, for Appellee.

¶3PER CURIAM.

¶4AFFIRMED.

¶5COBB and GOSHORN, JJ., concur.

¶6DAUKSCH, J., concurs, with opinion.

¶7DAUKSCH, J., concurring specially.

¶8The question in this appeal is whether a person may lawfully possess a common pocketknife on school property, or at a school bus stop. The answer is no, unless "as authorized in school sanctioned activities." § 790.115(2)(a). This statute became effective October 1, 1997 and is unique in its proscription of the common pocketknife because theretofore one could possess such at school. The legislature probably enacted this statute in response to the ruling in L.B. v. State,700 So.2d 370 (Fla.1997), which held that because the statutory definition of "weapon" at that time specifically excluded common pocketknives, see § 790.001(13), and the statute prohibiting weapons at school did not specifically define weapon, that the legislature must have intended the general definition which excluded common pocketknives.

¶9Thus, the new statute is clear and is not vague in its wording that one cannot have any knife at school.

A person shall not possess any firearm, electric weapon or device, destructive device, or other weapon, including a razor blade, box cutter, or knife, except as authorized in support of school-sanctioned activities, on the property of any school, school bus, or school bus stop.

¶10There was no error in refusing to dismiss the charges or in ruling the statute constitutional.

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