Contempt of Court in Lee County, Florida
82 cases (2025) · Lee County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Contempt of Court cases in Lee County were prosecuted with exceptional severity: an 87.8% guilty rate paired with only 2.4% dismissals, well below the statewide average of 5.7%. Withheld adjudications were nearly absent at 2.4%, indicating judges view contempt as warranting formal conviction. Zero diversion programs reinforced the message that flouting court orders draws punishment, not rehabilitation.
Confinement was the norm: 62.2% served jail time, with median sentences of 90 days and average sentences of 129 days. Probation averaged 331 days. Public defender representation was limited (17.1%), potentially reflecting either the case's straightforwardness or economic factors. Jail-centric sentencing dominated.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Contempt of Court charge in Lee County makes it in front of a judge. Of 535 prosecutor decisions on Contempt of Court charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 51.8% — 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 — 87.8% of 82 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 82 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 (confined) |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 153 | 4.5 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Contempt of Court sentencing in Lee County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Lee County?
The guilty rate is 87.8% based on 82 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Contempt of Court in Lee 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 Lee County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 4.3 months (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
17.1% of defendants use a public defender, while 7.3% retain private counsel (2025).
Counsel Analysis (2023-2025)
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 | 58 | 89.7% | 1.7% |
| Black | 22 | 81.8% | 4.5% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 90 | 92.2% | 4.4% | 3.9 months |
| 2024 | 100 | 87.0% | 6.0% | 6.0 months |
| 2025 | 82 | 87.8% | 2.4% | 4.3 months |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 257 |
| Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 12 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 3 |
Related Charges in Lee County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 4,155 | 67.9% | 0.2% |
| Drug Possession | 2,127 | 78.6% | 0.1% |
| DUI | 1,320 | 98.9% | 0.2% |
| Larceny / Theft | 999 | 83.0% | 0.7% |
| Resisting Officer | 700 | 85.0% | 1.9% |
| Battery | 717 | 74.2% | 2.8% |
| Trespassing | 481 | 85.0% | 5.8% |
| Other | 490 | 73.7% | 1.4% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Contempt of Court in Lee County, Florida (2025). Based on 82 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/contempt-of-court/lee
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Lee 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 · 82 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com