State of Florida v. Michael R. Jackson
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledFebruary 12, 2020
Docket1D19-2570
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
STATE OF FLORIDA
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No. 1D19-2570
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STATE OF FLORIDA,
Petitioner,
v.
MICHAEL R. JACKSON,
Respondent.
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Petition for Writ of Certiorari—Original Jurisdiction.
February 12, 2020
PER CURIAM.
The State of Florida petitions for a writ of certiorari to review
an order of the trial court denying the State’s motion for
production. We deny the petition.
Certiorari relief is appropriate only when an order departs
from the essential requirements of the law and causes material
injury to the petitioner that cannot be remedied on appeal. See
Martin-Johnson v. Savage, 509 So. 2d 1097, 1100 (Fla. 1987);
Nussbaumer v. State, 882 So. 2d 1067, 1071–72 (Fla. 2d DCA
2004). A writ of certiorari should be granted “only when there has
been a violation of a clearly established principle of law resulting
in a miscarriage of justice.” Combs v. State, 436 So. 2d 93, 96 (Fla.
1983).
Below, the State sought swabs of a fire extinguisher made by
a DNA analyst hired by the defense as well as the identity of the
analyst. The State theorizes that the fire extinguisher was used
by the Respondent as a weapon in the commission of a crime. The
fire extinguisher had been in the State’s possession for some time
before it was transferred to the defense for analysis. The defense
first sought to compel the State to conduct DNA testing on the fire
extinguisher and only sought production of the fire extinguisher
after the State refused to conduct its own testing. After the fire
extinguisher was returned to the State, the State then sought
production from the defense of the matters noted.
The trial court denied the motion to compel production. Here,
the State has not shown that the trial court departed from the
essential requirements of law in so ruling. In fact, the trial court’s
denial of relief is consistent with rule 3.220(d)(1)(B) and 3.220(g),
Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, regarding a defendant’s
discovery obligations for “material that is in the defendant’s
possession or control” and establishing a work product privilege.
None of the authorities cited to this court by the State are
applicable, and thus, fail to establish a violation of a clearly
established principle of law. Combs, 436 So. 2d at 96.
Therefore, the petition is DENIED.
MAKAR, BILBREY, and JAY, JJ., concur.
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Not final until disposition of any timely and
authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or
9.331.
_____________________________
Ashley Moody, Attorney General, and Steven Edward Woods,
Assistant Attorney General, Tallahassee, for Petitioner.
Ann E. Finnell of Finnell, McGuinness, Nezami & Andux, P.A.,
Jacksonville, for Respondent.
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