Miami-Dade County v. Jones

Summary

The Supreme Court of Florida held that Miami-Dade County was responsible for compensating neutral mental-health experts appointed by the trial court to evaluate a death-row defendant's competency during postconviction proceedings. The court relied on sections 916.115 and 43.28, Florida Statutes, and rejected the County's argument that the civil classification of postconviction proceedings barred application of those provisions. The trial court's payment order was affirmed.

Holdings

1. The County is responsible for compensating neutral mental-health experts appointed by the trial court to conduct a competency examination pursuant to Carter v. State.
2. The technical civil classification of postconviction proceedings does not prevent application of the statutory provisions governing competency-related expert fees.

Questions Presented

1. Whether Miami-Dade County is financially responsible for the fees of neutral mental-health experts appointed by a trial court to conduct a competency evaluation during postconviction proceedings.
2. Whether sections 916.115 and 43.28, Florida Statutes (2000), apply to expert witness costs incurred during a postconviction competency determination despite the technical civil classification of postconviction proceedings.

Disposition

affirmed