AO 2025-009

(Supercedes AO 1999-005 and 1970-006)

WHEREAS, efforts should be made to limit the number of interviews in which a victim of child abuse or sexual abuse must participate for law enforcement or discovery purposes in order to protect the victim from the psychological damage of repeated interrogation;

WHEREAS, section 914.16, F.S. (2025) requires the chief judge of a judicial circuit to order reasonable limits on the number of interviews which a victim of certain offenses who is under 16 years of age or who has an intellectual disability as defined in s. 393.063 must submit to for law enforcement or discovery purposes; and,

WHEREAS, these efforts need to be balanced with rights of the public and the person charged with the violation of law;

NOW, THEREFORE,  pursuant to the authority vested in me as Chief Judge of the Third Judicial Circuit of Florida and F.S. 914.16, it is hereby

ORDERED that such efforts shall be made on behalf of the victim as referenced above and the guidelines shall be followed as set forth below:

1. One investigative interview may be conducted for the purposes of criminal and dependency proceedings. All agencies involved in the investigation of violations of F.S. 794.011, 800.02, 800.03, 800.04, 825.102, 827.03, 827.04, and 847.0135 (5) shall coordinate their investigations to facilitate this provision.  All efforts shall be made to reduce the number of agency representatives participating in the interviewing of the child or the individual with an intellectual disability, as applicable.

2. One full and complete pre-file interview may be conducted by or on behalf of the State Attorney’s Office.

3. One full and complete pretrial interview may be conducted by or on behalf of the State Attorney’s Office.

4. One discovery deposition is permitted to be taken by the representative of the person alleged to be responsible for the abuse, subject to the limitations provided below.

5. Interviews shall be conducted in a setting and manner designed to minimize the traumatic effect of the interview on the victim.

6. Additional interviews shall be allowed only by order of the trial judge upon motion for good cause shown, unless there is no objection to said interview by the victim’s custodial parent, legal guardian, guardian ad litem or State Attorney. Additional interviews shall be limited in scope as much as possible to assure minimal impact on the victim.

“INTERVIEW” for the purposes of this order, means any procedure in which the victim is

required to provide a detailed account or demonstration of the nature and circumstances of the above but does not include: the history obtained for the purposes of medical or psychological diagnosis or treatment; any initial contact with the victim by law enforcement, or the Florida Department of Children and Family Services, to assess the validity of a complaint or need to take protective measures on behalf of the victim.

Nothing contained in this order shall prevent the trial court from limiting the discovery

deposition pursuant to the applicable provisions of Rule 1.280(c) of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 3.220(h), of the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, or Rule 8.060 of the Florida Rules of Juvenile Procedure.

DONE and ORDERED in chambers at Lake City, Florida, this 2^nd day of December, 2025.

Melissa Gates Olin

Chief Judge

Original – Clerk of Courts

Copies to:

All Third Judicial Circuit Judges

All Third Judicial Circuit Judicial Assistants

Guardian ad Litem

Department of Children & Families

All Third Judicial Circuit Sheriffs

Third Judicial Circuit Trial Court Administrator

Third Judicial Circuit Office of the State Attorney

Third Judicial Circuit Office of the Public Defender

Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, First Region