The Florida Evidence Code — Chapter 90, Florida Statutes — governs what evidence comes into a Florida courtroom and how. Below is every section we’ve broken down in plain English, each with a trial-lawyer’s “From the Courtroom” note and the federal (FRE) parallel. Citations are to § 90.XXX, Fla. Stat. — Florida evidence law is statutory, not a set of court “rules.”
Sections of the Florida Evidence Code
Complete — all 88 sections of Chapter 90, Florida Statutes, organized by part.
1. General Provisions
- § 90.101 — Short Title
- § 90.102 — Construction (the Code Supersedes Conflicting Law)
- § 90.103 — Scope; Applicability of the Evidence Code
- § 90.104 — Rulings on Evidence (Preserving Error for Appeal)
- § 90.105 — Preliminary Questions
- § 90.106 — Summing Up and Comment by Judge
- § 90.107 — Limited Admissibility (Limiting Instructions)
- § 90.108 — Rule of Completeness (Related Writings or Recorded Statements)
2. Judicial Notice
- § 90.201 — Matters Which Must Be Judicially Noticed
- § 90.202 — Matters Which May Be Judicially Noticed
- § 90.203 — Compulsory Judicial Notice Upon Request
- § 90.2035 — Judicial Notice of Web Mapping & Satellite Imagery (Google Maps)
- § 90.204 — Determining Propriety of Judicial Notice
- § 90.205 — Denial of a Request for Judicial Notice
- § 90.206 — Instructing the Jury on Judicial Notice
- § 90.207 — Judicial Notice by Trial Court in Subsequent Proceedings
3. Presumptions
- § 90.301 — Presumption Defined; Inferences
- § 90.302 — Classification of Rebuttable Presumptions
- § 90.303 — Presumption Affecting the Burden of Producing Evidence
- § 90.304 — Presumption Affecting the Burden of Proof
4. Relevancy & Its Limits
- § 90.401 — Definition of Relevant Evidence
- § 90.402 — Admissibility of Relevant Evidence
- § 90.4025 — Admissibility of Paternity Determination in Certain Prosecutions
- § 90.4026 — Statements Expressing Sympathy (the “I’m Sorry” Rule)
- § 90.403 — Exclusion on Grounds of Prejudice or Confusion
- § 90.404 — Character Evidence & the Williams Rule
- § 90.405 — Methods of Proving Character
- § 90.406 — Routine Practice (Habit Evidence)
- § 90.407 — Subsequent Remedial Measures
- § 90.408 — Compromise and Offers to Compromise
- § 90.409 — Payment of Medical and Similar Expenses
- § 90.410 — Offers to Plead; Nolo Contendere; Withdrawn Guilty Pleas
5. Privileges
- § 90.501 — Privileges Recognized Only as Provided
- § 90.5015 — Journalist’s Privilege
- § 90.502 — Lawyer-Client Privilege
- § 90.5021 — Fiduciary Lawyer-Client Privilege
- § 90.503 — Psychotherapist-Patient Privilege
- § 90.5035 — Sexual Assault Counselor-Victim Privilege
- § 90.5036 — Domestic Violence Advocate-Victim Privilege
- § 90.5037 — Human Trafficking Victim Advocate-Victim Privilege
- § 90.504 — Husband-Wife (Spousal) Privilege
- § 90.505 — Privilege With Respect to Communications to Clergy
- § 90.5055 — Accountant-Client Privilege
- § 90.506 — Trade Secret Privilege
- § 90.507 — Waiver of Privilege by Voluntary Disclosure
- § 90.508 — Privileged Matter Disclosed Under Compulsion or Without Opportunity to Claim
- § 90.509 — Application of Privileged Communication (Pre-1979)
- § 90.510 — Privileged Communication Necessary to an Adverse Party (Sword-and-Shield)
6. Witnesses
- § 90.601 — General Rule of Competency
- § 90.603 — Disqualification of a Witness
- § 90.604 — Lack of Personal Knowledge
- § 90.605 — Oath or Affirmation of a Witness
- § 90.606 — Interpreters and Translators
- § 90.6063 — Interpreter Services for Deaf Persons
- § 90.607 — Competency of the Judge and Jurors as Witnesses
- § 90.608 — Who May Impeach a Witness
- § 90.609 — Character of Witness as Impeachment
- § 90.610 — Conviction of Certain Crimes as Impeachment
- § 90.611 — Religious Beliefs or Opinions
- § 90.612 — Mode and Order of Interrogation (Leading Questions)
- § 90.613 — Refreshing the Memory of a Witness
- § 90.614 — Prior Statements of Witnesses
- § 90.615 — Calling and Interrogating Witnesses by the Court
- § 90.616 — Exclusion of Witnesses (Sequestration / “The Rule”)
7. Opinions & Expert Testimony
- § 90.701 — Opinion Testimony of Lay Witnesses
- § 90.702 — Testimony by Experts (the Daubert Standard)
- § 90.703 — Opinion on the Ultimate Issue
- § 90.704 — Basis of Opinion Testimony by Experts
- § 90.705 — Disclosure of Facts or Data Underlying Expert Opinion
- § 90.706 — Authoritativeness of Literature for Cross-Examination
8. Hearsay
- § 90.801 — Hearsay; Definitions; Exceptions
- § 90.802 — The Hearsay Rule
- § 90.803 — Hearsay Exceptions (Declarant Availability Immaterial)
- § 90.803(2) — Excited Utterance
- § 90.803(6) — Business Records Exception
- § 90.804 — Hearsay Exceptions (Declarant Unavailable)
- § 90.805 — Hearsay Within Hearsay
- § 90.806 — Attacking and Supporting Credibility of Declarant
9. Authentication & Identification
- § 90.901 — Requirement of Authentication or Identification
- § 90.902 — Self-Authentication
- § 90.903 — Testimony of Subscribing Witness Unnecessary
10. Special Provisions
11. Best Evidence (Contents of Writings, Recordings & Photographs)
- § 90.951 — Definitions (Writings, Recordings, Originals, Duplicates)
- § 90.952 — Requirement of Originals (Best Evidence Rule)
- § 90.953 — Admissibility of Duplicates
- § 90.954 — Admissibility of Other Evidence of Contents
- § 90.955 — Public Records
- § 90.956 — Summaries
- § 90.957 — Testimony or Written Admissions of a Party
- § 90.958 — Functions of Court and Jury