Fla. Stat. § 27.16

Whenever there shall be a vacancy in the office of the state attorney in any of the judicial circuits of this state, either by nonappointment or otherwise, or if a state attorney shall not be present at any regular or special term of the courts of his or her circuit or, being present, shall from any cause be unable to perform the duties of office or shall be disqualified to act in any particular case, the circuit judge of his or her judicial circuit shall have full power to appoint a prosecuting officer from among the members of the bar, with the consent of the member so appointed, to whom shall be administered an oath to faithfully discharge the duties of state attorney, and who shall have as full and complete authority, and whose acts shall be in all respects as valid as a regularly appointed state attorney. He or she shall sign all indictments and other documents as “acting state attorney.” The power of the appointee shall cease upon the cessation of the inability or disqualification of the state attorney or the completion of the appointee’s duties in any particular case.

History: s. 1, ch. 1726, 1869; s. 2, ch. 1996, 1874; RS 1354; s. 1, ch. 4899, 1901; GS 1789; RGS 3019; CGL 4755; s. 1, ch. 69-212; s. 4, ch. 73-334; s. 126, ch. 95-147.