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Florida statute

Fla. Stat. § 837.055 — False information to law enforcement during investigation

Current through 2025 Florida Statutes

Part of Chapter 837: Perjury, Florida Statutes.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Fla. Stat. § 837.055

Statutory text current through the 2025 Florida Statutes. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Florida.

Fla. Stat. § 837.055Primary source, current through the 2025 Florida Statutes
(1) Whoever knowingly and willfully gives false information to a law enforcement officer who is conducting a missing person investigation or a felony criminal investigation with the intent to mislead the officer or impede the investigation commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. (2) Whoever knowingly and willfully gives false information to a law enforcement officer who is conducting a missing person investigation involving a child 16 years of age or younger with the intent to mislead the officer or impede the investigation, and the child who is the subject of the investigation suffers great bodily harm, permanent disability, permanent disfigurement, or death, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is false information to law enforcement during investigation a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?

It depends on the circumstances: false information to law enforcement during investigation ranges from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree to a Felony of the Third Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 837.055.

False information during missing person or felony investigation: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 837.055(1)) · False information during missing child investigation resulting in great bodily harm, disability, disfigurement, or death: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 837.055(2))

Which Florida statute covers false information to law enforcement during investigation?

False information to law enforcement during investigation is governed by Fla. Stat. § 837.055 (False information to law enforcement during investigation).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.