Contempt of Court in Pinellas County, Florida
227 cases (2025) · Pinellas County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Pinellas County's 227 contempt cases—the largest caseload reviewed—produced 77.1% guilty verdicts. Dismissals at 6.2% marginally exceeded the state's 5.7%. Withheld adjudication at 15.0% exceeded statewide 11.1%, creating a balanced middle path.
Confinement centered on jail at 61.7%, imprisonment at 3.1%. Sentences averaged 242 days, median 180 days. Probation averaged 355 days. Counsel data appears incomplete, with only 2.2% private and 2.6% public defender reported.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Contempt of Court charge in Pinellas County makes it in front of a judge. Of 985 prosecutor decisions on Contempt of Court charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 27.3% — 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 — 77.1% of 227 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 227 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 | 480 | 6.0 months |
| State Prison Facility | 9 | 3.8 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Contempt of Court sentencing in Pinellas 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 | 139 | 74.8% | 6.5% |
| Black | 63 | 79.4% | 7.9% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 274 | 76.3% | 4.7% | 5.7 months |
| 2024 | 224 | 79.0% | 5.4% | 6.7 months |
| 2025 | 227 | 77.1% | 6.2% | 8.0 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 | 701 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 23 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 1 |
Related Charges in Pinellas County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug Possession | 6,868 | 75.7% | 1.5% |
| Other | 6,405 | 14.3% | 0.4% |
| Traffic Offense | 5,465 | 78.3% | 0.6% |
| DUI | 2,355 | 97.8% | 0.7% |
| Trespassing | 2,554 | 85.7% | 4.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 2,453 | 75.0% | 2.0% |
| Battery | 2,043 | 54.4% | 3.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 1,579 | 78.0% | 1.5% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Contempt of Court in Pinellas County?
The guilty rate is 77.1% based on 227 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Contempt of Court in Pinellas County?
Adjudication is withheld in 15.0% 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 Pinellas County?
The average sentence is 8.0 months, with an average fine of $178 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
2.6% of defendants use a public defender, while 2.2% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Contempt of Court in Pinellas County, Florida (2025). Based on 227 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/contempt-of-court/pinellas
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Pinellas 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 · 227 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com