Williams v. Green
The Third DCA granted habeas relief where the trial court granted the State's motion for pretrial detention after erroneously believing it was required to view the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, relying on dicta from State v. Arthur. The court held that neither section 907.041(5)(d) nor Rule 3.131 requires such a favorable-to-the-State lens, and that the trial court instead must weigh evidence, resolve factual disputes, and make credibility determinations as any factfinder would.
Key facts
- Williams sought habeas relief after the trial court granted the State's motion for pretrial detention based on an erroneous standard of review.
- The trial court believed it was required to view the evidence in the light most favorable to the State when determining whether the State proved a substantial probability that the defendant committed the offense.
- +2 more key facts with a free trial
Why it matters
This opinion resolves a recurring and previously murky question about the proper standard of proof at pretrial detention hearings under section 907.041(5)(d), an increasingly common pretrial procedure in serious felony… — full analysis with a trial
🔒 Read the full opinion, holding & search the library
The full opinion PDF, the rules the court applied, our significance analysis, the background facts, and full-text search across every tracked Florida decision are available to members. Start a free 30-day trial — no credit card.
Not ready to sign up? Get the free Friday digest — the week's key Florida decisions by email, no login required.
Florida Court Tracker provides summaries of publicly available court opinions for informational and research purposes only. This is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Always verify holdings against the official opinion.