State v. R.P

Full title: THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLANT, v. R.P., A JUVENILE, APPELLEE

Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District

Date published: Jun 22, 1993

620 So. 2d 795 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1993)

Opinion

No. 93-397.

June 22, 1993.

Appeal from the Circuit Court, Dade County, Thomas K. Petersen, J.

Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., and Fleur J. Lobree, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellant.

Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender, and Valerie Jonas, Asst. Public Defender, for appellee.

Before SCHWARTZ, C.J., and JORGENSON and COPE, JJ.

PER CURIAM.

Upon the Defendant's proper confession of error, we reverse the trial court's dismissal of the delinquency petition. Where the State requests a continuance due to the unavailability of a witness and the delay would not prejudice the Defendant, a dismissal constitutes an extreme sanction if less severe alternatives exist. See State v. S.M.F., 546 So.2d 20 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989).

Reversed.