Assault in Lee County, Florida
146 cases (2025) · Lee County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Lee County secured guilty verdicts in 72.6% of assault prosecutions, modestly below the statewide average. Adjudication withheld in 18.5% of cases, approaching the statewide 22.2% rate, and diversion programs diverted only 1.4% of defendants compared to the statewide 5.2%. Dismissals were 3.4%, matching other high-conviction counties and exceeding the statewide 2.4% average.
Lee County imposed substantially longer sentences than most assault jurisdictions. The median sentence was 639 days; average sentences reached 876 days. Nearly 30% of defendants received prison time, the highest rate among the assault counties examined. Confinement was split between jail (24.7%) and prison (29.5%). Private attorney representation stood at 8.9%, suggesting a more affluent defendant population.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Assault charge in Lee County makes it in front of a judge. Of 1,239 prosecutor decisions on Assault charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 64.9% — above the 47.7% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Attorney case data (2023-2025). Rates are per charge, not per defendant — a dropped charge often reflects a plea agreement on another charge in the same case, not the case going away. Percentages are of charges receiving a prosecution decision; transfers between courts are excluded. Court outcome data on this page is a separate dataset covering cases that reached disposition. Statewide charging patterns: The Florida Prosecution Report.
Outcome Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)
Largest outcomeGuilty — 72.6% of 146 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 146 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Sentencing Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)
Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).
| Confinement Type | Count | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 114 | 4.6 years |
| County Jail | 98 | 5.2 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Assault sentencing in Lee County.
Counsel Analysis (2025)
Demographics (2025)
Demographic data reflects systemic patterns in the criminal justice system and should not be used to draw conclusions about any racial or ethnic group. Disparities may reflect differences in policing, prosecution, and socioeconomic factors rather than actual crime rates.
| Race | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 107 | 73.8% | 2.8% |
| Black | 37 | 67.6% | 5.4% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 173 | 70.5% | 0.0% | 2.9 years |
| 2024 | 126 | 64.3% | 1.6% | 2.7 years |
| 2025 | 146 | 72.6% | 3.4% | 2.4 years |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Third Degree | 322 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 57 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 37 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 29 |
Related Charges in Lee County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 4,039 | 67.2% | 0.2% |
| Drug Possession | 2,117 | 77.4% | 0.1% |
| DUI | 1,301 | 98.9% | 0.2% |
| Larceny / Theft | 913 | 82.4% | 0.5% |
| Resisting Officer | 686 | 84.0% | 1.9% |
| Battery | 717 | 71.7% | 2.5% |
| Trespassing | 456 | 83.3% | 5.9% |
| Other | 458 | 72.5% | 1.5% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Assault in Lee County?
The guilty rate is 72.6% based on 146 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Assault in Lee County?
Adjudication is withheld in 18.5% of cases (2025). This is a Florida-specific outcome where the court finds guilt but does not formally convict, allowing the defendant to avoid a conviction record under FL Statute 948.01.
What is the average sentence for Assault in Lee County?
The average sentence is 2.4 years (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
12.3% of defendants use a public defender, while 8.9% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Assault in Lee County, Florida (2025). Based on 146 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/assault/lee
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Lee County. "Guilty" includes all cases where the defendant was found guilty. "Adjudication withheld" is a Florida-specific disposition where guilt is found but the court withholds formal adjudication under FL Statute 948.01. "Dismissed" includes all cases dismissed by the court or prosecution.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 146 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com