Contempt of Court in Florida

3,531 cases (2025) · 59 counties · All charges

Based on 3,531 Contempt of Court cases across Florida (2025), the statewide guilty rate is 67.7% with a 13.4% dismissal rate. Adjudication was withheld in 12.8% of cases. The average sentence for convicted defendants is 5.3 months, with an average fine of $229.

3,531
Total Cases (2025)
67.7%
Guilty Rate
13.4%
Dismissal Rate
vs 4.3% all charges statewide
12.8%
Withheld Rate
5.3 months
Avg Sentence

13.4% of Contempt of Court cases in Florida are dismissed — but outcomes vary widely by county. A defense attorney can review your situation — free, no obligation.

Ask a Florida attorney — free
Duval 1.0% dismissed · 308 cases Brevard 84.5% dismissed · 291 cases Hillsborough 3.8% dismissed · 342 cases Pinellas 6.2% dismissed · 227 cases Palm Beach 5.0% dismissed · 218 cases Pasco 4.0% dismissed · 177 cases Polk 3.8% dismissed · 157 cases Okeechobee 87.6% dismissed · 137 cases Okaloosa 1.6% dismissed · 185 cases Miami-Dade 1.9% dismissed · 106 cases Hernando 6.1% dismissed · 82 cases Escambia 10.7% dismissed · 131 cases Marion 0.0% dismissed · 122 cases Volusia 2.6% dismissed · 78 cases Lee 2.6% dismissed · 77 cases Orange 6.0% dismissed · 84 cases Sarasota 0.0% dismissed · 76 cases Broward 6.2% dismissed · 48 cases Santa Rosa 0.0% dismissed · 77 cases Seminole 0.0% dismissed · 51 cases Manatee 1.8% dismissed · 56 cases St. Johns 9.6% dismissed · 73 cases Leon 3.7% dismissed · 54 cases Clay 0.0% dismissed · 47 cases Collier 5.4% dismissed · 37 cases Osceola 10.6% dismissed · 47 cases Putnam 0.0% dismissed · 60 cases Lake 0.0% dismissed · 35 cases Bay 0.0% dismissed · 34 cases Walton 5.1% dismissed · 118 cases (2023-2025) Citrus 0.0% dismissed · 44 cases St. Lucie 0.0% dismissed · 32 cases Highlands 0.0% dismissed · 38 cases Sumter 0.0% dismissed · 72 cases (2023-2025) Charlotte 7.1% dismissed · 70 cases (2023-2025) Monroe 7.1% dismissed · 70 cases (2023-2025) Martin 13.0% dismissed · 69 cases (2023-2025) Alachua 0.0% dismissed · 64 cases (2023-2025) Indian River 2.0% dismissed · 50 cases (2023-2025) Nassau 0.0% dismissed · 39 cases (2023-2025) Wakulla 3.4% dismissed · 29 cases (2023-2025) Taylor 0.0% dismissed · 28 cases (2023-2025) Hendry 0.0% dismissed · 27 cases (2023-2025) Hardee 3.8% dismissed · 26 cases (2023-2025) Columbia 0.0% dismissed · 25 cases (2023-2025) Levy 0.0% dismissed · 25 cases (2023-2025) Liberty 17.4% dismissed · 23 cases (2023-2025) Washington 0.0% dismissed · 23 cases (2023-2025) Gulf 4.5% dismissed · 22 cases (2023-2025) Jackson 0.0% dismissed · 22 cases (2023-2025) Baker 0.0% dismissed · 21 cases (2023-2025) Suwannee 0.0% dismissed · 16 cases (2023-2025) Calhoun 0.0% dismissed · 14 cases (2023-2025) Jefferson 7.1% dismissed · 14 cases (2023-2025) Desoto 0.0% dismissed · 13 cases (2023-2025) Glades 0.0% dismissed · 13 cases (2023-2025) Franklin 0.0% dismissed · 12 cases (2023-2025) Holmes 0.0% dismissed · 11 cases (2023-2025) Dixie 0.0% dismissed · 10 cases (2023-2025)

Counties ranked by contempt of court case volume; the rate shown is each county's dismissal rate for the window marked. Click any county for its full outcome breakdown — guilty and withheld rates, sentencing, and trends.

All Florida counties

Exhibit · Disposition trends — statewide

Year Cases Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate Avg Sentence
2023 4,507 70.4% 12.5% 5.8 months
2024 3,903 67.1% 15.5% 4.5 months
2025 3,786 68.9% 12.7% 4.9 months

Quarterly detail

9.1%
6.6%
15.9%
16.8%
15.3%
13.6%
17.9%
14.5%
17.6%
12.4%
16.1%
5.1%
Q1’23 Q2’23 Q3’23 Q4’23 Q1’24 Q2’24 Q3’24 Q4’24 Q1’25 Q2’25 Q3’25 Q4’25

Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts.

Monthly Trend — Contempt of Court Dispositions Statewide

Court dispositions of Contempt of Court charges across Florida, month by month. FloridaCourtFile refreshes this data monthly from FDLE's Criminal Justice Data Transparency releases — no other public source tracks Florida charge outcomes at this cadence.

Month Dispositions Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate
2024-07 339 67.0% 18.6%
2024-08 328 61.0% 19.5%
2024-09 367 68.1% 15.8%
2024-10 300 67.7% 12.7%
2024-11 301 70.8% 14.6%
2024-12 260 67.3% 16.5%
2025-01 324 66.0% 14.5%
2025-02 285 62.1% 18.6%
2025-03 305 58.4% 20.0%
2025-04 297 66.7% 16.5%
2025-05 328 70.4% 11.9%
2025-06 306 72.2% 8.8%
2025-07 296 74.0% 8.8%
2025-08 398 59.8% 27.9%
2025-09 269 72.9% 6.7%
2025-10 348 76.4% 4.6%
2025-11 363 76.9% 4.1%
2025-12 292 72.6% 6.8%

Counts for recent months can rise slightly in later releases as courts report late dispositions. Data through FDLE's July 2026 release.

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency — FloridaCourtFile.com

§ 38.22 / Florida Rules of Court — Contempt of Court
Florida Statute § 38.22 / Florida Rules of Court criminalizes contempt of court, which encompasses willful disobedience of court orders, disruptive behavior in court proceedings, or failure to comply with judicial mandates. This statute grants courts broad authority to maintain order and enforce compliance with their directives through various sanctions.

Facing Contempt of Court Charges?

Get matched with a Florida defense attorney who handles Contempt of Court cases. Free, confidential, no obligation.

What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Florida?

The statewide guilty rate for Contempt of Court is 67.7% based on 3,531 cases from 59 counties (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 (2025).

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 12.8% of cases statewide (2025).

Cite this page

FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Contempt of Court in Florida (2025). Based on 3,531 public court records across 59 counties; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/contempt-of-court

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 3,531 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com