Contempt of Court in Broward County, Florida
48 cases (2025) · Broward County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Broward County adjudicated 48 contempt of court cases with a 75.0% guilty rate, exceeding statewide average. Withheld adjudication at 18.8% was well above statewide average of 11.1%, providing a non-conviction pathway, but diversion was unavailable at 0%—no program-based resolution occurred. The dismissal rate of 6.2% was marginally above statewide average of 5.7%. The pattern reflects a court environment where contempt charges proceed to adjudication with limited alternatives.
Confinement was dominant: 52.1% of defendants received jail time, the highest rate reviewed for contempt cases. Average sentence was 169.8 days with median of 120 days, indicating substantial incarceration. Probation averaged 365 days. Broward's handling of contempt prioritizes incarceration as the enforcement mechanism, with withheld adjudication available for some but no diversions to provide alternatives.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Contempt of Court charge in Broward County makes it in front of a judge. Of 1,565 prosecutor decisions on Contempt of Court charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 50.4% — above 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 outcomeGuilty — 75.0% of 48 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 48 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 | 124 | 4.3 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Contempt of Court sentencing in Broward County.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 28 | 85.7% | 3.6% |
| Not Available | 18 | 55.6% | 11.1% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 107 | 68.2% | 3.7% | 4.0 months |
| 2024 | 91 | 63.7% | 9.9% | 3.8 months |
| 2025 | 48 | 75.0% | 6.2% | 5.6 months |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 235 |
| NULL | NULL | 8 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 3 |
Related Charges in Broward County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 6,520 | 22.1% | 1.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,161 | 62.6% | 1.7% |
| Drug Possession | 2,012 | 54.5% | 12.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 1,556 | 52.6% | 5.3% |
| Trespassing | 1,337 | 55.9% | 4.7% |
| Other | 1,326 | 32.6% | 32.9% |
| Battery | 823 | 53.9% | 8.3% |
| Fraud | 976 | 55.2% | 3.3% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Broward County?
The guilty rate is 75.0% based on 48 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Contempt of Court in Broward County?
Adjudication is withheld in 18.8% 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 Broward County?
The average sentence is 5.6 months (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
0.0% of defendants use a public defender, while 0.0% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Contempt of Court in Broward County, Florida (2025). Based on 48 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/contempt-of-court/broward
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Broward 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 · 48 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com