Florida Statute 90.302 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2024 Florida Statutes (including 2025 Special Session C)

Title VII
EVIDENCE

Chapter 90
EVIDENCE CODE

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F.S. 90.302

90.302 Classification of rebuttable presumptions.—Every rebuttable presumption is either:

(1) A presumption affecting the burden of producing evidence and requiring the trier of fact to assume the existence of the presumed fact, unless credible evidence sufficient to sustain a finding of the nonexistence of the presumed fact is introduced, in which event, the existence or nonexistence of the presumed fact shall be determined from the evidence without regard to the presumption; or

(2) A presumption affecting the burden of proof that imposes upon the party against whom it operates the burden of proof concerning the nonexistence of the presumed fact.

History.—s. 1, ch. 76-237; s. 1, ch. 77-77; s. 22, ch. 78-361; s. 1, ch. 78-379.

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Amendments to 90.302

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 90.302

Total Results: 49

Owens v. Publix Supermarkets, Inc.

802 So. 2d 315, 2001 WL 1423221

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Nov 15, 2001 | Docket: 1332804

Cited 121 times | Published

affecting the burden of proof." Pursuant to section 90.302(2), a presumption affecting the burden of proof

Public Health Trust of Dade Cty. v. Valcin

507 So. 2d 596, 69 A.L.R. 4th 895

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Apr 30, 1987 | Docket: 459970

Cited 93 times | Published

evidence, section 90.302(1), Florida Statutes (1985), or a shift in the burden of proof. § 90.302(2), Fla

Beal Bank, SSB v. Almand and Associates

780 So. 2d 45, 26 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 106, 2001 Fla. LEXIS 408, 2001 WL 197031

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Mar 1, 2001 | Docket: 1298410

Cited 73 times | Published

affecting the burden of proof." Pursuant to section 90.302(2), a presumption affecting the burden of proof

DEPT. OF AGR. & CONSUMER SERV. v. Bonanno

568 So. 2d 24, 1990 WL 141444

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 27, 1990 | Docket: 1526662

Cited 29 times | Published

on the value of the destroyed citrus stock. Section 90.302, Florida Statutes (1987), sets forth the two

Martino v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

908 So. 2d 342, 30 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 536, 2005 Fla. LEXIS 1457, 2005 WL 1575772

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 7, 2005 | Docket: 1724772

Cited 26 times | Published

presumption shifted the burden of proof under section 90.302(2), Florida Statutes (1985), so that the presumption

Bennett v. St. Vincent's Medical Center, Inc.

71 So. 3d 828, 2011 WL 2637444

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 7, 2011 | Docket: 2354289

Cited 16 times | Published

serves to operate. Pursuant to Florida Statute, section 90.302 states: Every rebuttable presumption is either:

Eppler v. Tarmac America, Inc.

752 So. 2d 592, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 133, 2000 Fla. LEXIS 90, 2000 WL 185495

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Feb 17, 2000 | Docket: 1280000

Cited 16 times | Published

jury." Sistrunk, 468 So.2d at 1060-61; accord § 90.302(1), Fla. Stat. (1999) (requiring only "credible

Universal Insurance Co. of North America v. Warfel

82 So. 3d 47, 37 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 50, 2012 WL 224104, 2012 Fla. LEXIS 195

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jan 26, 2012 | Docket: 60306224

Cited 15 times | Published

applicable only in civil actions or proceedings. Section 90.302 Classification of re-buttable presumptions

Department of Transp., Div. of Admin. v. Jirik

498 So. 2d 1253, 11 Fla. L. Weekly 636

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Dec 11, 1986 | Docket: 1699748

Cited 15 times | Published

declares or implements some strong social policy. See § 90.302, Fla. Stat. (1985). We are not concerned here

Mason v. Porsche Cars of North America

688 So. 2d 361, 1997 WL 14227

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 17, 1997 | Docket: 1508323

Cited 10 times | Published

burden-of-proof-shifting presumptions defined by section 90.302, Florida Statutes (1991). The attorney general

Hlad v. State

565 So. 2d 762, 1990 WL 98751

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 19, 1990 | Docket: 1403851

Cited 9 times | Published

types, classifying the Thayer-Wigmore type in section 90.302(1), Florida Statutes, as "a presumption affecting

Hack v. Janes

878 So. 2d 440, 2004 WL 1584910

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 16, 2004 | Docket: 760106

Cited 7 times | Published

introduced of the basic facts giving rise to a section 90.302(2) presumption affecting the burden of proof

Smith v. Greg's Crane Service, Inc.

576 So. 2d 814, 1991 WL 32091

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 13, 1991 | Docket: 1242433

Cited 7 times | Published

is a "Thayer" or "bursting bubble presumption". § 90.302(1); 90.302 Fla. Stat.; See also Thayer, Preliminary

Southeast Grove Management Inc. v. McKiness

578 So. 2d 883, 1991 WL 70852

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 3, 1991 | Docket: 441015

Cited 6 times | Published

Retirement, 372 So.2d 438 (Fla. 1979); see also § 90.302, Fla. Stat. (1989). In view of our decision on

Allstate Ins. Co. v. Eckert

472 So. 2d 807, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 1649

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 3, 1985 | Docket: 1793343

Cited 6 times | Published

was required to assume the existence thereof. § 90.302, Fla. Stat. (1983). The trial court relied upon

Berwick v. Prudential Property & Cas. Ins. Co.

436 So. 2d 239, 1983 Fla. App. LEXIS 22657

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 5, 1983 | Docket: 1340262

Cited 6 times | Published

determined without regard to the presumption. See § 90.302(1), Fla. Stat. (1981); C. Ehrhardt, supra, at

RBC MINISTRIES v. Tompkins

974 So. 2d 569, 2008 WL 398821

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 15, 2008 | Docket: 1369586

Cited 5 times | Published

concerning the nonexistence of the presumed fact." § 90.302(2), Fla. Stat. (2005), Accordingly, once a will

Folds v. JA Jones Const. Co.

875 So. 2d 700, 2004 WL 1207675

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 3, 2004 | Docket: 1683973

Cited 5 times | Published

presumption is one affecting the burden of proof. See § 90.302(2), Fla. Stat., and Charles W. Ehrhardt, Florida

INS. CO. OF ST., PA v. Estate of Guzman

421 So. 2d 597

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 13, 1982 | Docket: 1157495

Cited 5 times | Published

conclusion in Caldwell is readily apparent. Section 90.302, Florida Statutes (1979), provides: Every rebuttable

Mallardi v. Jenne

721 So. 2d 380, 1998 WL 821758

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 6, 1998 | Docket: 1694556

Cited 4 times | Published

time make a genuine $200,000 investment. [3] § 90.302(1), Fla.Stat. (1997) ("A presumption affecting

Tomlinson v. DHRS

558 So. 2d 62, 1990 WL 7533

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 31, 1990 | Docket: 1404809

Cited 4 times | Published

than a presumption affecting the burden of proof. § 90.302, Fla. Stat. (1987). In this case, we can assume

Aetna Cas. & Sur. v. Pappagallo Rest.

547 So. 2d 243, 1989 WL 78324

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 18, 1989 | Docket: 1474659

Cited 4 times | Published

371 (Fla. 3d DCA 1974) (citation omitted). Section 90.302, Florida Statutes (1987), provides that: [E]very

Ferguson v. Williams

566 So. 2d 9, 1990 WL 107819

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 31, 1990 | Docket: 2512310

Cited 3 times | Published

547 So.2d 243 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989) (pursuant to section 90.302(1), under "bursting bubble" presumption, once

King v. Estate of King

554 So. 2d 600, 1989 WL 153644

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 20, 1989 | Docket: 1693369

Cited 3 times | Published

required to assume the existence of such fact. See Section 90.302(1), Florida Statutes (1987). See also C. Ehrhardt

Crenshaw v. State

521 So. 2d 138, 1988 WL 2636

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 10, 1988 | Docket: 1703601

Cited 3 times | Published

contraband article defined in s. 932.701(2)(a)-(d). Section 90.302(2) identifies this presumption as a rebuttable

Guardian Ad Litem Program v. C.W. (In re X.W.)

255 So. 3d 882

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 9, 2018 | Docket: 64689555

Cited 2 times | Published

rights intact is in X.W.'s best interests.5 See § 90.302(1), Fla. Stat. (2016) (stating the burden of a

Warfel v. Universal Insurance Co. of North America

36 So. 3d 136, 2010 Fla. App. LEXIS 6572, 2010 WL 1874367

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 12, 2010 | Docket: 1639037

Cited 2 times | Published

failure to pay alimony or child support under section 90.302(2) of the evidence code “to implement the public

Reiff v. Northeast Florida State Hosp.

710 So. 2d 1030, 1998 Fla. App. LEXIS 5874, 1998 WL 264482

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 27, 1998 | Docket: 1731530

Cited 2 times | Published

exception applies is then placed on the agency. See § 90.302(1), Fla. Stat. (1995). [5] Indeed, such a narrow

Martin v. State

711 So. 2d 117, 1998 WL 204811

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 29, 1998 | Docket: 1700605

Cited 2 times | Published

civil in nature rather than criminal. [4] See § 90.302, Fla. Stat. (1997), which provides: "Every rebuttable

Gross v. Zimmerman

197 So. 3d 1248, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 12070, 2016 WL 4205345

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 10, 2016 | Docket: 60256186

Cited 1 times | Published

concerning the nonexistence of the presumed fact.” § 90.302(2), Fla. Stat. (2015). . Thus, the trial court

Block v. Tosun

77 So. 3d 871, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 534, 2012 WL 126656

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 18, 2012 | Docket: 60304830

Cited 1 times | Published

affecting the burden of producing evidence only. See § 90.302(1), Fla. Stat. (2011). Thus, Tosun will have the

Levin v. Ethan Allen, Inc.

823 So. 2d 132, 2002 WL 561378

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 17, 2002 | Docket: 1512732

Cited 1 times | Published

evidence without regard to the presumption...." § 90.302(1), Fla. Stat. (2000).[5] The Code thus makes

Hunter v. HERNANDO COUNTY BD. OF COM'RS

578 So. 2d 798, 1991 WL 60016

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 22, 1991 | Docket: 440973

Cited 1 times | Published

care available in the particular community. See § 90.302, Fla. Stat. (1989); C.W. Ehrhardt, Florida Evidence

Ricardo Sanchez v. Discount Rock & Sand, Inc.

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Oct 25, 2023 | Docket: 67399010

Published

Argued: May 16, 2023

“affecting the burden of proof.” Fla. Stat. § 90.302 (emphases added); accord Universal Ins. Co. of

SEAWAY BILTMORE, INC. v. GRACE ABUCHAIBE

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Sep 14, 2022 | Docket: 65346497

Published

presumption shifted the burden of proof under section 90.302(2) so that the presumption “is not overcome

Aylsworth v. Mutiny On the Bay Condo. Ass'n, Inc.

275 So. 3d 781

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 26, 2019 | Docket: 64719869

Published

required to assume the existence thereof") (citing § 90.302, Fla. Stat.).

Aylsworth v. Mutiny On the Bay Condo. Ass'n, Inc.

275 So. 3d 781

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 26, 2019 | Docket: 64719870

Published

required to assume the existence thereof") (citing § 90.302, Fla. Stat.).

Corry Mency v. State of Florida

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 12, 2019 | Docket: 15762815

Published

the State’s burden in every criminal case. See § 90.302, Fla. Stat.; Grady v. State, 176 So. 431, 431

JENNIFER HEARD v. MIGUEL PERALES

247 So. 3d 533

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 16, 2018 | Docket: 6716314

Published

evidence without regard to the presumption[.]” § 90.302(1), Fla. Stat. (2014).

GUARDIAN AD LITEM PROGRAM v. DEPT. OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 9, 2018 | Docket: 6302663

Published

intact is in X.W.'s best interests.5 See § 90.302(1), Fla. Stat. (2016) (stating the burden of a

David Gee, Sheriff of Hillsborough County v. Grantland

203 So. 3d 992

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 9, 2016 | Docket: 4486976

Published

statutory presumption thus applies here. Under section 90.302(2), which governs presumptions affecting the

Thomasena Mitchell v. Miami Dade County aka MDPD (Intracoastal) etc.

186 So. 3d 65

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 28, 2016 | Docket: 3039863

Published

how it is applied to the facts in this case. Section 90.302, Florida Statutes, describes two types of presumptions

Rocke v. American Research Bureau

184 So. 3d 1221, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 698, 2016 WL 231149

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 20, 2016 | Docket: 3029526

Published

concerning the nonexistence of the presumed fact. § 90.302. In a civil action or proceeding, unless

Rocke v. American Research Bureau

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 6, 2015 | Docket: 3010556

Published

concerning the nonexistence of the presumed fact. § 90.302. In a civil action or proceeding

Amendments to the Florida Probate Rules

848 So. 2d 1069, 28 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 495, 2003 Fla. LEXIS 1063, 2003 WL 21402500

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jun 19, 2003 | Docket: 64823856

Published

301, Fla. Stat. Presumption defined; inferences. § 90.302, Fla. Stat. Classification of re-buttable presumptions

Super Transport, Inc. v. Florida Department of Insurance

799 So. 2d 286, 2001 Fla. App. LEXIS 13728

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 2, 2001 | Docket: 64809979

Published

section 631.331(1) creates a presumption under section 90.302(2) “that imposes upon the party against whom

Value Rent-A-Car, Inc. v. Collection Chevrolet, Inc.

570 So. 2d 1376, 1990 WL 198313

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 11, 1990 | Docket: 1704071

Published

disappears and the jury is not told of it. See also § 90.302(1), Fla. Stat. (1989). In this case, the presumption

In re Estate of Davis

428 So. 2d 774, 1983 Fla. App. LEXIS 19419

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 30, 1983 | Docket: 64595892

Published

facts.3 ANSTEAD and BERANEK, JJ., concur. . Section 90.302 provides: Classification of rebuttable presumptions

City of Tallahassee v. Forfeiture of One Yellow 1979 Fiat 2-Door Sedan Florida Tag No. FVN-467

414 So. 2d 1100, 1982 Fla. App. LEXIS 20082

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 26, 1982 | Docket: 64590411

Published

shall be presumed in the manner provided in Section 90.302(2) [(rebuttable presumption) ] that the ..