Contempt of Court in Brevard County, Florida
291 cases (2025) · Brevard County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Brevard County's contempt of court cases showed dramatically different outcomes from statewide patterns, with an 84.5% dismissal rate far exceeding the statewide average of 5.7%. Only 11.7% resulted in guilty findings, suggesting Brevard prosecutors exercise significant discretion in declining to pursue contempt charges to conviction. The county's approach appears pragmatic—potentially reserving court resources for more serious offenses while resolving many contempt allegations through dismissal.
When convictions did occur, sentences were brief, averaging about 3.7 months and typically much shorter (median 52 days). Less than 9% of cases resulted in jail confinement. About 27% of defendants had public defenders, indicating many contempt cases involved lower-income individuals, though overall counsel representation was sparse, suggesting many defendants represented themselves.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Contempt of Court charge in Brevard County makes it in front of a judge. Of 287 prosecutor decisions on Contempt of Court charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 23.0% — below the 38.4% 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 outcomeDismissed — 84.5% of 291 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 291 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 |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 87 | 2.5 months |
| State Prison Facility | 2 | 1 year, 9 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Contempt of Court sentencing in Brevard County.
Counsel Analysis (2025)
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 313 | 15.7% | 80.8% | 3.2 months |
| 2024 | 409 | 7.8% | 88.3% | 1.9 months |
| 2025 | 291 | 11.7% | 84.5% | 3.7 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| NULL | NULL | 1,013 |
Related Charges in Brevard County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 989 | 73.3% | 1.2% |
| Other | 952 | 27.6% | 25.7% |
| Drug Possession | 697 | 77.6% | 0.9% |
| Larceny / Theft | 496 | 65.7% | 0.6% |
| DUI | 667 | 62.5% | 1.5% |
| Trespassing | 370 | 82.7% | 1.1% |
| Battery | 315 | 62.5% | 1.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 240 | 65.8% | 0.4% |
Was Your Case Dismissed?
84.5% of Contempt of Court cases in Brevard County are dismissed. If your case was dismissed, you may be eligible to have it expunged from your record.
Check Expungement EligibilityNeed a Defense Attorney in Brevard County?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Brevard County?
The guilty rate is 11.7% based on 291 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Contempt of Court in Brevard County?
Adjudication is withheld in 2.4% 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 Contempt of Court in Brevard County?
The average sentence is 3.7 months (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
26.8% of defendants use a public defender, while 12.7% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Contempt of Court in Brevard County, Florida (2025). Based on 291 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/contempt-of-court/brevard
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Brevard 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 · 291 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com