Assault in Okeechobee County, Florida

30 cases (2025) · Okeechobee County courts

In 2025, Okeechobee County dismissed or acquitted assault charges in 20% of cases—dismissals alone at 13.3% were more than five times the statewide 2.4% rate. Only 56.7% of charges resulted in conviction, the lowest among assault counties, while 23.3% received withheld adjudication. No diversion program was used. Okeechobee's approach appears substantially more favorable to defendants than the statewide pattern.

Despite lower conviction rates, Okeechobee imposed severe sentences on those convicted. The median sentence was 1,050 days and average reached 1,201 days. Prison confinement affected 30% of defendants and jail 16.7%. The combination of higher dismissal rates with longer sentences for those convicted suggests Okeechobee prosecutes fewer but more serious assault cases.

30
Total Cases (2025)
56.7%
Guilty Rate
23.3%
Withheld Rate
13.3%
Dismissal Rate
vs 2.8% statewide, 2025
3.3 years
Avg Sentence

Not every Assault charge in Okeechobee County makes it in front of a judge. Of 89 prosecutor decisions on Assault charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 20.2% — below the 47.7% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.

Filed for prosecution
75.3% (67)
Declined to file
0.0% (0)
Dropped after filing
20.2% (18)
Administratively dismissed
0.0% (0)
Pre-trial diversion
4.5% (4)

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.

I Outcomes

Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)

Guilty
56.7% (17)
Withheld
23.3% (7)
Diversion
0.0% (0)
Dismissed
13.3% (4)
Acquitted
6.7% (2)

Largest outcomeGuilty — 56.7% of 30 cases.

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 30 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com

II Sentencing

Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)

3.3 years
Avg Sentence
2.9 years
Median Sentence
1 year, 4 months
Avg Probation
$1,750
Avg Fine
30.0%
Prison Rate
16.7%
Jail Rate

Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).

Confinement Type Count Avg Sentence
County Jail 26 6.3 months
State Prison Facility 18 4.3 years
24
Public Defender
41.7% guilty · 16.7% dismissed
5
Private Attorney
20.0% guilty · 0.0% dismissed

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 50 64.0% 6.0%
Black 11 18.2% 9.1%
10.0%
Under 21
40.0%
21-29
26.7%
30-39
13.3%
40-49
6.7%
50-59
3.3%
60+

Exhibit · Disposition trends

Year Cases Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate Avg Sentence
2023 25 64.0% 0.0% 11.7 months
2024 26 61.5% 3.8% 1 year, 12 months
2025 30 56.7% 13.3% 3.3 years
Level Degree Cases
Felony Third Degree 42
Misdemeanor Second Degree 17
Felony Second Degree 13
Misdemeanor First Degree 9
Charge Cases Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate
Traffic Offense 506 61.7% 0.6%
Drug Possession 314 76.1% 8.3%
Other 221 58.8% 17.2%
Contempt of Court 137 12.4% 87.6%
Larceny / Theft 137 85.4% 1.5%
Battery 131 75.6% 8.4%
DUI 98 95.9% 1.0%
Resisting Officer 87 81.6% 6.9%
III Getting Help

Need a Defense Attorney in Okeechobee County?

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What is the guilty rate for Assault in Okeechobee County?

The guilty rate is 56.7% based on 30 cases (2025).

How often is adjudication withheld for Assault in Okeechobee County?

Adjudication is withheld in 23.3% 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 Okeechobee County?

The average sentence is 3.3 years, with an average fine of $1,750 (2025).

What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?

40.0% of defendants use a public defender, while 6.7% retain private counsel (2025).

Cite this page

FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Assault in Okeechobee County, Florida (2025). Based on 30 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/assault/okeechobee

About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Okeechobee 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 · 30 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com