Criminal Mischief in Duval County, Florida
545 cases (2025) · Duval County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Duval County handled criminal mischief cases with notably more restraint than many Florida counties. The guilty rate stood at 67%, below the statewide pattern, while withheld adjudications reached 28.2%—10 percentage points above the state average of 17.1%. This means nearly three in ten defendants avoided a conviction on their permanent record. Dismissals remained rare at 1.3%, though acquittals were nearly nonexistent at 0.2%.
Sentences were substantially lighter than statewide norms. Defendants averaged just 95 days, with a median of 30 days. Over two-thirds faced jail rather than prison, and public defenders handled over half the cases, suggesting a high proportion of lower-income defendants. These outcomes—withheld adjudications, lenient sentences, robust public defense—create a more favorable resolution pattern.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Criminal Mischief charge in Duval County makes it in front of a judge. Of 1,466 prosecutor decisions on Criminal Mischief charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 18.8% — below the 31.9% 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 — 67.2% of 545 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 545 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 | 1,304 | 2.1 months |
| State Prison Facility | 50 | 2.7 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Criminal Mischief sentencing in Duval County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Criminal Mischief in Duval County?
The guilty rate is 67.2% based on 545 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Criminal Mischief in Duval County?
Adjudication is withheld in 28.3% 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 Criminal Mischief in Duval County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 3.1 months, with an average fine of $137 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
52.5% of defendants use a public defender, while 16.0% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 331 | 67.4% | 1.8% |
| White | 199 | 69.8% | 0.5% |
| Asian | 10 | 20.0% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 728 | 74.7% | 0.0% | 3.6 months |
| 2024 | 656 | 72.1% | 0.5% | 3.0 months |
| 2025 | 545 | 67.2% | 1.3% | 3.1 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 | 1,203 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 512 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 214 |
Related Charges in Duval County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 7,131 | 36.9% | 3.3% |
| Drug Possession | 4,904 | 74.0% | 0.1% |
| Other | 4,405 | 22.2% | 0.6% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,440 | 68.9% | 0.3% |
| Battery | 1,878 | 65.5% | 0.6% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,076 | 81.3% | 0.2% |
| Trespassing | 1,795 | 84.4% | 0.4% |
| DUI | 1,415 | 98.1% | 0.2% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Criminal Mischief in Duval County, Florida (2025). Based on 545 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/criminal-mischief/duval
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Duval 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 · 545 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com