Florida Senate - 2015                                     SB 570
       
       
        
       By Senator Dean
       
       
       
       
       
       5-00956A-15                                            2015570__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to service of process of witness
    3         subpoenas; amending s. 48.031, F.S.; providing that
    4         service of a subpoena on a witness in a civil traffic
    5         case may be made by United States mail directed to the
    6         witness at the last known address and that such
    7         service must be mailed before a specified period;
    8         providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
   13  48.031, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   14         48.031 Service of process generally; service of witness
   15  subpoenas.—
   16         (3)(a) The service of process of witness subpoenas, whether
   17  in criminal cases or civil actions, shall be made as provided in
   18  subsection (1). However, service of a subpoena on a witness in a
   19  civil traffic case, a criminal traffic case, a misdemeanor case,
   20  or a second degree or third degree felony may be made by United
   21  States mail directed to the witness at the last known address,
   22  and the service must be mailed at least 7 days prior to the date
   23  of the witness’s required appearance. Failure of a witness to
   24  appear in response to a subpoena served by United States mail
   25  that is not certified may not be grounds for finding the witness
   26  in contempt of court.
   27         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.