Public Defender Robert Wesley Secures Release of Juvenile Committed to Non-Secure Residential Program

On December 12, 2016, Public Defender for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Robert Wesley and Assistant Public Defender Jessica Cahoon secured the release of a juvenile from detention. Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal ordered the release of the juvenile, who was committed to a non-secure residential program in one case on November 3 and in several other cases on November 14. The juvenile was still being detained there despite Florida Statute § 985.27(1)(a)‘s requirement that a child “must be removed from detention within 5 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.” Read the full court decision.