29.8 PRACTICING LAW WITHOUT A LICENSE
Official jury instruction text reproduced for information. It is not legal advice; the instruction given in a case depends on the facts and the court.
- Instruction
- 29.8
- Statute
- § 454.23, Fla. Stat.
- Edition
- Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases, complete set published by The Florida Bar, updated October 9, 2026
- Official source
- The Florida Bar: criminal jury instructions
Elements
Quoted word for word from the official text. Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases, complete set published by The Florida Bar, updated October 9, 2026.
To prove the crime of Practicing Law Without a License, the State must prove the following two elements beyond a reasonable doubt:
1. (Defendant) [practiced law] [or] [held [himself] [herself] out to the public as qualified to practice law in Florida] [or] [willfully pretended to be qualified to practice law in Florida] [or] [willfully took or used any name, title, addition, or description implying that [he] [she] was qualified, or recognized by law as qualified, to practice law in Florida].
2. At the time, [he] [she] was not licensed or otherwise authorized to practice law in Florida.
Lesser-included offenses
As the instruction lists them, word for word.
PRACTICING LAW WITHOUT A LICENSE — 454.23
| CATEGORY ONE | CATEGORY TWO | FLA. STAT. | INS. NO. |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | |||
| Attempt | 777.04(1) | 5.1 |
Related practice page
Criminal defense in Miami. State or federal.
Official source: The Florida Bar: criminal jury instructions
Official jury instruction text reproduced for information. It is not legal advice; the instruction given in a case depends on the facts and the court.