Contempt of Court in Clay County, Florida
47 cases (2025) · Clay County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Clay County offered no diversion program for contempt of court and dismissed zero cases against a 5.7 percent statewide rate. The guilty rate was 76.6 percent while withheld adjudication occurred in 23.4 percent—double the statewide average. Defendants faced conviction or withheld adjudication with no third path.
Jail affected 59.6 percent of cases with median 60 days. Fines averaged $365.83. Limited attorney representation—roughly 20 percent combined—meant most defendants proceeded without counsel. The system relied on withheld adjudication rather than dismissal to avoid convictions, yet still sent nearly 60 percent to jail with modest but consistent sentence lengths.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Contempt of Court charge in Clay County makes it in front of a judge. Of 118 prosecutor decisions on Contempt of Court charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 14.4% — 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 outcomeGuilty — 76.6% of 47 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 47 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 | 97 | 3.0 months |
| State Prison Facility | 1 | 1 year, 1 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Contempt of Court sentencing in Clay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 39 | 76.9% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 56 | 78.6% | 0.0% | 2.8 months |
| 2024 | 60 | 88.3% | 3.3% | 3.1 months |
| 2025 | 47 | 76.6% | 0.0% | 3.5 months |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 160 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 3 |
Related Charges in Clay County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 1,116 | 59.9% | 0.9% |
| Drug Possession | 560 | 70.2% | 1.1% |
| Larceny / Theft | 411 | 69.8% | 0.0% |
| Battery | 363 | 65.8% | 1.1% |
| Other | 424 | 47.6% | 32.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 194 | 73.2% | 0.0% |
| DUI | 133 | 99.2% | 0.0% |
| Trespassing | 129 | 81.4% | 2.3% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Clay County?
The guilty rate is 76.6% based on 47 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Contempt of Court in Clay County?
Adjudication is withheld in 23.4% 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 Clay County?
The average sentence is 3.5 months, with an average fine of $366 (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 Clay County, Florida (2025). Based on 47 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/contempt-of-court/clay
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Clay 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 · 47 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com