Department of Juvenile Justice v. Okaloosa County

In this appeal, the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) seeks review of an Administrative Law Judge’s (ALJ) Final Order. The Final Order declared certain DJJ rules relating to cost sharing for secure detention invalid exercises of DJJ’s authority; specifically, DJJ’s interpretations of “final court disposition” and “actual costs.” We find the ALJ correctly determined that DJJ’s interpretations were improper.

If the language of a statute “is clear and unambiguous and conveys a clear and definite meaning, the statute should be given its plain meaning.” Fla. Hosp. v. Agency for Health Care…