Criminal Mischief in Lake County, Florida
158 cases (2025) · Lake County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, criminal mischief cases in Lake County showed a more balanced outcome distribution than many Florida counties. The 68.4% guilty rate, combined with 19.6% withheld adjudication and 2.5% dismissal, reflected more prosecutorial restraint. The withheld rate exceeded the statewide average of 17.1%, offering defendants a formal guilt finding without a permanent conviction record.
Confinement averaged 293 days among those incarcerated, with a median of 180 days indicating substantial middle-range jail sentences. Probation supervision extended to 549 days on average. Just 25.3% of defendants faced jail or prison time, the lowest rate among mischief cases examined. Nearly two-thirds had public defenders, while one-third retained private counsel—a notably higher private-pay rate.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Criminal Mischief charge in Lake County makes it in front of a judge. Of 441 prosecutor decisions on Criminal Mischief charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 21.1% — 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 — 68.4% of 158 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 158 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 | 89 | 5.1 months |
| State Prison Facility | 29 | 2.4 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Criminal Mischief sentencing in Lake County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Criminal Mischief in Lake County?
The guilty rate is 68.4% based on 158 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Criminal Mischief in Lake County?
Adjudication is withheld in 19.6% 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 Lake County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 9.8 months, with an average fine of $241 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
63.9% of defendants use a public defender, while 32.3% 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 | 121 | 63.6% | 1.7% |
| Black | 37 | 83.8% | 5.4% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 161 | 78.3% | 0.0% | 10.9 months |
| 2024 | 121 | 74.4% | 0.8% | 11.9 months |
| 2025 | 158 | 68.4% | 2.5% | 9.8 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 | 168 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 139 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 84 |
| Misdemeanor | NULL | 39 |
| Felony | NULL | 10 |
Related Charges in Lake County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 2,229 | 74.1% | 0.6% |
| Drug Possession | 1,386 | 79.9% | 0.4% |
| Other | 1,818 | 14.2% | 1.0% |
| Larceny / Theft | 1,002 | 66.3% | 1.0% |
| Battery | 647 | 58.0% | 1.4% |
| Resisting Officer | 565 | 78.9% | 1.1% |
| DUI | 417 | 99.0% | 1.0% |
| Trespassing | 426 | 88.3% | 2.1% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Criminal Mischief in Lake County, Florida (2025). Based on 158 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/criminal-mischief/lake
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Lake 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 · 158 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com