TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ The Florida Supreme Court has reversed a juvenile's delinquency conviction because two arresting officers lacked a principal's authorization to enforce the state's school trespassing law.
Thursday's unanimous opinion marked the second time the justices have reversed delinquency findings by Miami-Dade County judges for the same reason in school trespassing cases.
They reiterated that Florida law requires the state to prove a defendant had been warned to leave by a principal or principal's designee before an arrest can be made.
In the latest case, the high court rejected the judge's assumption the police officers were designated by the principal. The justices noted no evidence was presented to support it.
They also rejected the state's argument there was no need present evidence because the defendant didn't challenge that assumption.
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