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S.W. v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District
May 18, 1983
431 So. 2d 342 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)

Opinion

No. 82-1914.

May 18, 1983.

Appeal from the Circuit Court, Manatee County, Claflin Garst, Jr., Acting J.

Jerry Hill, Public Defender, and Deborah A. Adamson, Asst. Public Defender, Bartow, for appellant.

Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Theda James Davis, Asst. Atty. Gen., Tampa, for appellee.


S.W. appeals her adjudication of delinquency for possession of alcohol by a minor. A city police officer stopped an automobile because it had no brakelights. Three juveniles occupied the front seat, with S.W. seated on the far right. An unopened six-pack of beer lay under her feet. S.W. contended that the beer was already on the floorboard of the automobile when the driver picked her up.

Significantly, there were no adults in the car who had a legal right to the beer. The fact that the beer was found beneath S.W.'s feet is sufficient evidence of knowledge and the ability to control to support a conviction upon constructive possession. Dean v. State, 406 So.2d 1162 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981).

AFFIRMED.

GRIMES, A.C.J., and DANAHY and SCHOONOVER, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

S.W. v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District
May 18, 1983
431 So. 2d 342 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)
Case details for

S.W. v. State

Case Details

Full title:S.W., A CHILD, APPELLANT, v. STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Court:District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District

Date published: May 18, 1983

Citations

431 So. 2d 342 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)

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