Florida Statute 90.616 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title VII
EVIDENCE

Chapter 90
EVIDENCE CODE

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F.S. 90.616

90.616 Exclusion of witnesses.—

(1) At the request of a party the court shall order, or upon its own motion the court may order, witnesses excluded from a proceeding so that they cannot hear the testimony of other witnesses except as provided in subsection (2).

(2) A witness may not be excluded if the witness is:

(a) A party who is a natural person.

(b) In a civil case, an officer or employee of a party that is not a natural person. The party’s attorney shall designate the officer or employee who shall be the party’s representative.

(d) In a criminal case, the victim of the crime, the victim’s next of kin, the parent or guardian of a minor child victim, or a lawful representative of such person, unless, upon motion, the court determines such person’s presence to be prejudicial.

History.—s. 2, ch. 90-174; s. 1, ch. 92-107; s. 493, ch. 95-147.

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Amendments to 90.616

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 90.616

Total Results: 32

Chamberlain v. State

881 So. 2d 1087, 2004 WL 1348732

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jun 17, 2004 | Docket: 1465878

Cited 87 times | Published

cannot hear the testimony of other witnesses.... § 90.616(1), Fla. Stat. (2003). The rule is designed to

Knight v. State

746 So. 2d 423, 1999 WL 184502

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Nov 12, 1998 | Docket: 401041

Cited 51 times | Published

Florida Evidence § 616.1, at 506 (1998 ed.). Section 90.616(2)(c), Florida Statutes (1997), allows an exception

Rose v. State

787 So. 2d 786, 2001 WL 326690

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Apr 5, 2001 | Docket: 1745064

Cited 43 times | Published

second part of this claim, Rose recognizes that section 90.616, Florida Statutes (1997), provides: (2) A witness

Hernandez v. State

4 So. 3d 642, 34 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 149, 2009 Fla. LEXIS 149, 2009 WL 217972

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jan 30, 2009 | Docket: 1217023

Cited 36 times | Published

sequestration in section 90.616, Florida Statutes. See ch. 90-174, § 2, at 743, Laws of Fla. Section 90.616, Florida

Davis v. State

875 So. 2d 359, 2003 WL 22722316

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Nov 20, 2003 | Docket: 111

Cited 22 times | Published

after testifying. This claim is without merit. Section 90.616, Florida Statutes (1995), provides an exception

Knight v. State

721 So. 2d 287

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Nov 12, 1998 | Docket: 218583

Cited 7 times | Published

Florida Evidence § 616.1, at 506 (1998 ed.). Section 90.616(2)(c), Florida Statutes (1997), allows an exception

Strausser v. State

682 So. 2d 539, 1996 WL 683268

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Oct 17, 1996 | Docket: 1680912

Cited 7 times | Published

"essential to the presentation of the ... cause." § 90.616(2)(c), Fla.Stat. (1993). Walczak was a court-appointed

In Re Florida Rules of Civil Procedure for Involuntary Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators

13 So. 3d 1025, 34 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 405, 2009 Fla. LEXIS 1020, 2009 WL 1956384

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 9, 2009 | Docket: 1188234

Cited 6 times | Published

invocation of the rule of sequestration of section 90.616, Florida Statutes, except upon a showing that

In re Amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure

131 So. 3d 643, 38 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 836, 2013 WL 6164572, 2013 Fla. LEXIS 2476

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Nov 14, 2013 | Docket: 60238155

Cited 5 times | Published

invocation of the rule of sequestration of section 90.616, Florida Statutes, except upon a showing tiiatthe

Benjamin v. Tandem Healthcare, Inc.

93 So. 3d 1076, 2012 WL 2400880, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 10488

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 27, 2012 | Docket: 60310426

Cited 5 times | Published

to whom the sequestration rule did not apply. § 90.616(2)(a), Fla. Stat. (2009). Furthermore, Tandem

First Union v. Goodwin Beach Partnership

644 So. 2d 1361, 1994 Fla. App. LEXIS 8865, 1994 WL 501294

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Sep 16, 1994 | Docket: 1248925

Cited 3 times | Published

or her at the trial. First Union also cited section 90.616(2)(c) of the Florida Evidence Code that a person

Hilton v. State

117 So. 3d 742, 38 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 174, 2013 Fla. LEXIS 486, 2013 WL 1149715

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Mar 21, 2013 | Docket: 60232773

Cited 2 times | Published

Spencer v. State, 133 So.2d 729 (Fla.1961)). Section 90.616(2)(c), Florida Statutes (1997), allows an exception

In Re Amendments to Rules of Civ. Procedure

966 So. 2d 943, 32 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 606, 2007 Fla. LEXIS 1788, 2007 WL 2790745

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 27, 2007 | Docket: 1679427

Cited 2 times | Published

invocation of the rule of sequestration of section 90.616, Florida Statutes, except upon a showing that

Gregory David Larkin v. State of Florida

147 So. 3d 452, 2014 Fla. LEXIS 1671, 2014 WL 2118192

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: May 22, 2014 | Docket: 57475

Cited 1 times | Published

courtroom, and the jury was sworn in. See § 90.616, Fla. Stat. (2011). After the prosecutor’s opening

L.E.D. v. State

48 So. 3d 167, 2010 Fla. App. LEXIS 18017, 35 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. D 2591

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 24, 2010 | Docket: 60296526

Cited 1 times | Published

presentation of the state’s case. We agree. Section 90.616, Florida Statutes (2009), provides: (1) At

In Re: Amendments to Florida Rules of Civil Procedure for Involuntary Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 14, 2023 | Docket: 67748975

Published

invocation of the rule of sequestration of section 90.616, Florida Statutes, except upon a showing that

In Re: Amendments to Florida Rules of Civil Procedure for Involuntary Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Aug 31, 2023 | Docket: 67748975

Published

invocation of the rule of sequestration of section 90.616, Florida Statutes, except upon a showing that

TERRELL EUGENE TUMBLIN v. STATE OF FLORIDA

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Sep 2, 2020 | Docket: 18200662

Published

codified at section 90.616, Florida Statutes (2018), and titled “Exclusion of Witnesses.” Section 90.616(1) provides:

Jefferson Eugene Davis v. Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Sep 25, 2019 | Docket: 16243483

Published

Sequestration The trial judge applied section 90.616, Florida Statutes (“Rule of Sequestration”)

Joel Lebron v. State of Florida

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Dec 21, 2017 | Docket: 6245759

Published

Fla. Const. This right has been codified in section 90.616(2)(d), Florida Statutes (2017), which provides

Heady v. State

215 So. 3d 164, 2017 WL 1201899, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 4479

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 31, 2017 | Docket: 60264614

Published

determined that her presence was prejudicial. § 90.616(2)(d), Fla. Stat.

In Re: Amendments to Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure

214 So. 3d 400, 42 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 319, 2017 WL 1031456, 2017 Fla. LEXIS 598

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Mar 16, 2017 | Docket: 4618309

Published

invocation of the rule of sequestration of section 90.616, Florida Statutes, except on a showing that

Florida Industrial Power Users Group v. Art Graham, etc.

209 So. 3d 1142, 42 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 42, 2017 WL 372086, 2017 Fla. LEXIS 189

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jan 26, 2017 | Docket: 4574078

Published

of sequestration of witnesses, pursuant to section 90.616, Florida Statutes (2015), but the Commission

Daughtry v. State

211 So. 3d 84, 2017 WL 361128, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 790

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 25, 2017 | Docket: 60262702

Published

from hearing the testimony of other witnesses. § 90.616(1), Fla. Stat. (2014). Witness sequestration is

In Re AMENDMENTS TO the FLORIDA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE

199 So. 3d 867, 41 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 357, 2016 Fla. LEXIS 1962, 2016 WL 4586101

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 1, 2016 | Docket: 4418544

Published

invocation of the rule of sequestration of section 90.616, Florida Statutes, except upon a showing that

Dismex Food, Inc. v. Harris

194 So. 3d 497, 2016 WL 3078099, 2016 Fla. App. LEXIS 8286

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 1, 2016 | Docket: 3068917

Published

invoked the sequestration rule set forth in section 90.616 of the Florida Statutes. The trial court told

R.D.H. v. State

57 So. 3d 254, 2011 Fla. App. LEXIS 3496, 2011 WL 890951

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 16, 2011 | Docket: 60298981

Published

pretrial motion, we find any error to be harmless. Section 90.616, Florida Statutes (2009), provides: (1) At

Fernandez v. GUARDIANSHIP OF FERNANDEZ

36 So. 3d 175, 2010 Fla. App. LEXIS 7604, 2010 WL 2178831

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 2, 2010 | Docket: 1638932

Published

determines such person's presence to be prejudicial. § 90.616, Fla. Stat. (2008) (emphasis added). The parties

J.R. v. State

923 So. 2d 1269, 2006 Fla. App. LEXIS 4359, 2006 WL 778619

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 29, 2006 | Docket: 64843081

Published

defense witness. Commonly called “the rule,” section 90.616, Florida Statutes (2004), provides: (1) At

Cain v. State

758 So. 2d 1257, 2000 Fla. App. LEXIS 6553, 2000 WL 690136

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 31, 2000 | Docket: 64797602

Published

the accused. See Art. I, § 16(b), Fla. Const.; § 90.616(2)(d), Fla. Stat. (1999). While next-of-kin have

Black v. Sears

621 So. 2d 712, 1993 Fla. App. LEXIS 5253, 1993 WL 152471

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 12, 1993 | Docket: 64697758

Published

an officer nor an employee of appellee, and section 90.616(2)(b), Florida Statutes (1991), clearly provides

Goodman v. West Coast Brace & Limb, Inc.

580 So. 2d 193, 1991 Fla. App. LEXIS 3617, 1991 WL 58884

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 17, 1991 | Docket: 64658974

Published

federal rule by enacting section 90.616, Florida Statutes (Supp.1990). Section 90.616 provides that upon the