Contempt of Court in Miami-Dade County, Florida
106 cases (2025) · Miami-Dade County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Miami-Dade County employed withheld adjudication as its primary contempt outcome. The guilty rate was 67.9 percent while withheld adjudication reached 29.2 percent—nearly triple the statewide 11.1 percent average. Diversion was entirely absent. Dismissals were 1.9 percent, well below statewide 5.7 percent. Miami-Dade used withheld adjudication rather than dismissal as the alternative path.
Sentences were substantial: median 180 days and average 205.7 days. Prison and jail combined reached 43.4 percent. Probation averaged 931 days and fines averaged $232. Representation was broad, with 38.7 percent private counsel and 54.7 percent public defenders. Withheld adjudication allowed many to avoid formal conviction while still facing significant incarceration and probation.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Contempt of Court charge in Miami-Dade County makes it in front of a judge. Of 2,433 prosecutor decisions on Contempt of Court charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 52.4% — 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 — 67.9% of 106 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 106 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 | 126 | 5.9 months |
| State Prison Facility | 49 | 9.7 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Contempt of Court sentencing in Miami-Dade County.
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 | 76 | 65.8% | 0.0% |
| Black | 27 | 77.8% | 3.7% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 170 | 50.6% | 8.2% | 7.7 months |
| 2024 | 129 | 61.2% | 1.6% | 6.0 months |
| 2025 | 106 | 67.9% | 1.9% | 6.8 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 373 |
| NULL | NULL | 18 |
| Not Applicable | Not Applicable | 10 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 4 |
Related Charges in Miami-Dade County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 4,534 | 20.9% | 47.2% |
| Larceny / Theft | 4,723 | 65.1% | 0.5% |
| Drug Possession | 2,848 | 65.8% | 0.6% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,016 | 52.2% | 2.1% |
| Battery | 1,903 | 45.8% | 1.9% |
| Burglary | 1,187 | 68.8% | 1.0% |
| Fraud | 1,418 | 40.0% | 0.5% |
| Traffic Offense | 1,103 | 56.6% | 5.5% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Miami-Dade County?
The guilty rate is 67.9% based on 106 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Contempt of Court in Miami-Dade County?
Adjudication is withheld in 29.2% 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 Miami-Dade County?
The average sentence is 6.8 months, with an average fine of $232 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
54.7% of defendants use a public defender, while 38.7% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Contempt of Court in Miami-Dade County, Florida (2025). Based on 106 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/contempt-of-court/miami-dade
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Miami-Dade 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 · 106 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com