Florida legal term
Restraint in Florida Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Florida legislative session
In Florida criminal law, “Restraint” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Florida criminal code.
What does “Restraint” mean in Florida criminal law?
“Restraint” means a physical device, method, or drug used to control dangerous behavior.(a) A physical restraint is any manual method or physical or mechanical device, material, or equipment attached or adjacent to a person’s body so that he or she cannot easily remove the restraint and that restricts freedom of movement or normal access to one’s body.(b) A drug used as a restraint is a medication used to control the person’s behavior or to restrict his or her freedom of movement and not part of the standard treatment regimen of the person with a diagnosed mental illness who is a client of the (Fla. Stat. § 916.106)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.