Contempt of Court in Manatee County, Florida
57 cases (2025) · Manatee County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Contempt of Court cases in Manatee County resulted in guilty findings in 68.4% of cases, with an additional 17.5% receiving adjudication withheld—combining for 85.9% conviction or withheld outcomes. Dismissals were rare at 1.8%, substantially below the statewide 5.7%. Notably, diversion programs appeared in 8.8% of cases, significantly above the statewide 2.5%, indicating Manatee prosecutors offer pre-trial alternatives more frequently than peer counties.
Confined defendants received sentences averaging 222 days with a median of 258 days—among the shortest examined. Prison confinement rarely occurred; 10.5% received jail time. Probation averaged 365 days (one year)—relatively brief. Public defenders represented 64.9% of defendants, indicating many cases involved lower-income individuals. The moderate sentences and high diversion rates suggest Manatee County views Contempt as a serious but not severe charge, using court supervision and short-term confinement to enforce compliance rather than punitive incarceration.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Contempt of Court charge in Manatee County makes it in front of a judge. Of 158 prosecutor decisions on Contempt of Court charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 6.3% — 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 — 68.4% of 57 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 57 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 | 32 | 5.1 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Contempt of Court sentencing in Manatee County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Manatee County?
The guilty rate is 68.4% based on 57 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Contempt of Court in Manatee County?
Adjudication is withheld in 17.5% 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 Manatee County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 7.4 months, with an average fine of $45 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
64.9% of defendants use a public defender, while 14.0% retain private counsel (2025).
Counsel Analysis (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 | 47 | 70.2% | 0.0% |
| Black | 10 | 60.0% | 10.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 78 | 78.2% | 9.0% | 4.9 months |
| 2024 | 67 | 83.6% | 7.5% | 4.3 months |
| 2025 | 57 | 68.4% | 1.8% | 7.4 months |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 201 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 1 |
Related Charges in Manatee County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 5,099 | 43.9% | 2.7% |
| Drug Possession | 1,863 | 62.0% | 0.9% |
| Larceny / Theft | 1,030 | 59.9% | 3.1% |
| Battery | 706 | 56.7% | 2.8% |
| Other | 653 | 50.2% | 3.1% |
| Resisting Officer | 573 | 71.0% | 2.8% |
| Trespassing | 385 | 69.1% | 7.8% |
| Fraud | 402 | 67.9% | 0.7% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Contempt of Court in Manatee County, Florida (2025). Based on 57 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/contempt-of-court/manatee
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Manatee 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 · 57 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com