Contempt of Court in Florida
12,192
Total Cases
68.6%
Guilty Rate
13.4%
Dismissal Rate
12.2%
Withheld Rate
5.2 months
Avg Sentence
Based on 12,192 Contempt of Court cases across 59 Florida counties (2023-2025), the statewide guilty rate is 68.6% with a 13.4% dismissal rate. Adjudication was withheld in 12.2% of cases. The average sentence for convicted defendants is 5.2 months, with an average fine of $230.82.
Contempt of Court by County
| County | Cases | Guilty Rate | Withheld | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duval | 1,031 | 77.6% | 19.3% | 1.3% | 3.4 months |
| Brevard | 1,011 | 11.4% | 2.7% | 84.9% | 3.0 months |
| Hillsborough | 819 | 71.2% | 13.3% | 5.5% | 5.7 months |
| Pinellas | 728 | 77.1% | 14.6% | 5.4% | 6.7 months |
| Palm Beach | 693 | 68.5% | 10.8% | 6.5% | 4.6 months |
| Pasco | 602 | 75.6% | 17.3% | 1.8% | 5.2 months |
| Polk | 482 | 78.2% | 14.5% | 2.3% | 4.8 months |
| Okeechobee | 451 | 12.2% | 0.4% | 87.1% | 4.0 months |
| Okaloosa | 409 | 76.0% | 11.7% | 1.0% | 4.8 months |
| Miami-Dade | 397 | 58.2% | 33.8% | 4.5% | 6.9 months |
| Hernando | 388 | 87.1% | 5.2% | 1.5% | 3.9 months |
| Escambia | 376 | 80.1% | 5.6% | 6.1% | 5.5 months |
| Marion | 340 | 89.4% | 7.9% | 0.9% | 4.7 months |
| Volusia | 325 | 70.8% | 17.2% | 5.2% | 3.0 months |
| Orange | 256 | 58.2% | 24.2% | 5.1% | 6.6 months |
| Sarasota | 256 | 74.2% | 13.7% | 1.6% | 9.0 months |
| Broward | 239 | 68.6% | 23.4% | 6.7% | 4.3 months |
| Santa Rosa | 233 | 75.5% | 13.7% | 1.3% | 5.9 months |
| Seminole | 233 | 80.3% | 11.6% | 3.0% | 4.5 months |
| Lee | 217 | 87.1% | 4.6% | 4.1% | 4.2 months |
| Manatee | 201 | 77.6% | 10.0% | 6.5% | 4.9 months |
| St. Johns | 186 | 70.4% | 14.0% | 6.5% | 3.6 months |
| Leon | 170 | 46.5% | 22.9% | 7.1% | 3.2 months |
| Clay | 163 | 81.6% | 16.6% | 1.2% | 3.0 months |
| Collier | 159 | 75.5% | 12.6% | 1.3% | 6.7 months |
| Osceola | 157 | 72.6% | 15.3% | 7.0% | 2.8 years |
| Putnam | 153 | 87.6% | 8.5% | 0.0% | 3.6 months |
| Lake | 150 | 85.3% | 4.7% | 6.0% | 7.1 months |
| Bay | 148 | 88.5% | 4.7% | 0.0% | 5.3 months |
| Walton | 117 | 82.9% | 6.8% | 5.1% | 4.4 months |
| Citrus | 106 | 89.6% | 7.5% | 1.9% | 6.5 months |
| St. Lucie | 98 | 79.6% | 14.3% | 3.1% | 5.6 months |
| Highlands | 87 | 96.6% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 5.2 months |
| Sumter | 72 | 84.7% | 13.9% | 0.0% | 5.6 months |
| Monroe | 71 | 83.1% | 8.5% | 7.0% | 4.3 months |
| Charlotte | 70 | 88.6% | 4.3% | 7.1% | 5.5 months |
| Martin | 69 | 82.6% | 1.4% | 13.0% | 5.5 months |
| Alachua | 64 | 92.2% | 3.1% | 0.0% | 4.3 months |
| Indian River | 50 | 94.0% | 4.0% | 2.0% | 5.6 months |
| Nassau | 39 | 82.1% | 15.4% | 0.0% | 3.4 months |
| Wakulla | 29 | 86.2% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 4.8 months |
| Taylor | 28 | 92.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4.5 months |
| Hendry | 27 | 77.8% | 3.7% | 0.0% | 5.0 months |
| Hardee | 26 | 84.6% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 4.2 months |
| Levy | 26 | 88.5% | 11.5% | 0.0% | 4.7 months |
| Columbia | 25 | 96.0% | 4.0% | 0.0% | 3.4 months |
| Gulf | 23 | 91.3% | 0.0% | 4.3% | 3.9 months |
| Liberty | 23 | 47.8% | 4.3% | 17.4% | 5.3 months |
| Washington | 23 | 91.3% | 8.7% | 0.0% | 3.0 months |
| Jackson | 22 | 90.9% | 9.1% | 0.0% | 5.9 months |
| Baker | 21 | 90.5% | 9.5% | 0.0% | 3.1 months |
| Suwannee | 16 | 93.8% | 6.2% | 0.0% | 6.3 months |
| Calhoun | 14 | 78.6% | 21.4% | 0.0% | 1.4 months |
| Jefferson | 14 | 78.6% | 14.3% | 7.1% | 4.8 months |
| Desoto | 13 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.0 months |
| Glades | 13 | 92.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.2 months |
| Franklin | 12 | 66.7% | 25.0% | 0.0% | 3.2 months |
| Holmes | 11 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3.8 months |
| Dixie | 10 | 70.0% | 20.0% | 0.0% | 1.5 months |
Year-Over-Year Trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4,484 | 70.4% | 12.6% | 5.8 months |
| 2024 | 3,880 | 67.0% | 15.4% | 4.4 months |
| 2025 | 3,794 | 68.2% | 12.7% | 4.8 months |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Florida?
The statewide guilty rate for Contempt of Court is 68.6% based on 12,192 cases from 59 counties (2023-2025).
What is the dismissal rate for Contempt of Court in Florida?
The statewide dismissal rate for Contempt of Court is 13.4% across all Florida counties.
How does Contempt of Court sentencing vary by county?
Sentencing for Contempt of Court varies significantly by county. Browse the county breakdown table above to compare guilty rates, dismissal rates, and average sentences across all 59 counties.
What does adjudication withheld mean for Contempt of Court?
Adjudication withheld means the court found sufficient evidence of guilt but chose not to formally convict the defendant. This is unique to Florida and means the charge does not appear as a conviction on the defendant's record, though the arrest record remains. For Contempt of Court, adjudication is withheld in 12.2% of cases statewide.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 12,192 cases · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026