TALLAHASSEE — Former Hillsborough County teacher Debra Lafave, convicted of having sex with a student, is trying to persuade the Florida Supreme Court to end her probation.
The high court heard arguments Monday about the case.
Lafave pleaded guilty in 2005 to having sex with a 14-year-old-boy. She was sentenced to three years of house arrest followed by seven years of probation.
A judge in 2011 ended the former Greco Middle School teacher's probation early but that decision was overturned by the 2nd District Court of Appeal, which called the decision an "abuse of judicial power" that ran contrary to Lafave's plea agreement. The appeals court, however, wasn't sure if it had the authority to make such a ruling and asked the state Supreme Court to weigh in.
Lafave's attorney told Supreme Court justices that the appeals court overstepped its authority.
Attorneys for the state argued it would be a miscarriage of justice to end probation early for a sex offender. Lafave has a curfew and has been back on probation since January.