Contempt of Court in St. Johns County, Florida

In St. Johns County, contempt of court cases result in guilty verdicts 70.4 percent of the time, with an additional 14 percent receiving adjudication withheld—meaning the judge found guilt but the defendant avoids a formal conviction record. Together, these outcomes account for over 84 percent of cases, well above the statewide pattern. The dismissal rate of 6.5 percent is marginally higher than Florida's average, and diversion programs are used substantially more often here at 9.1 percent compared to the statewide rate of 2.8 percent, suggesting St. Johns County prosecutors have some flexibility in how they resolve these cases but pursue conviction outcomes in the majority.

Half of defendants in contempt cases in St. Johns County face jail time, with a median sentence of 70 days. Average sentences run longer at nearly 110 days, and probation terms average almost a year. Fines average $517. Public defenders represent 56.5 percent of defendants, while 27.4 percent retain private counsel, leaving a significant portion unaccounted for in the data. The median sentence length indicates many contempt cases resolve without substantial incarceration, but the 50 percent confinement rate shows judges regularly use jail as a sanction for this charge.