Criminal Mischief in Leon County, Florida
237 cases (2025) · Leon County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Leon County displayed the state's most defendant-favorable criminal mischief outcomes. The guilty rate bottomed out at 48.1%, and diversion programs resolved 16% of cases—more than double the statewide average of 6.8%. These diversions allowed defendants to avoid conviction entirely through program completion. Withheld adjudications reached 20.3%, protecting another cohort from conviction on their record. Only 1.7% of cases ended in dismissal, yet the overall non-guilty disposition rate remained strong.
Sentences reflected the lenient prosecution posture. Defendants averaged 262 days with a median of just 60 days. Prison time was rare at 3%, and 53.2% of public defenders represented cases, typical of lower-income charge profiles. The combination of aggressive diversion use and light sentencing created the most favorable jurisdiction for criminal mischief defendants.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Criminal Mischief charge in Leon County makes it in front of a judge. Of 1,202 prosecutor decisions on Criminal Mischief charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 15.5% — 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 — 48.1% of 237 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 237 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 | 367 | 2.9 months |
| State Prison Facility | 29 | 5.1 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Criminal Mischief sentencing in Leon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 145 | 47.6% | 0.7% |
| White | 92 | 48.9% | 3.3% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 278 | 44.6% | 4.7% | 8.6 months |
| 2024 | 211 | 39.8% | 3.3% | 3.7 months |
| 2025 | 237 | 48.1% | 1.7% | 8.7 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| NULL | First Degree | 373 |
| NULL | Second Degree | 213 |
| NULL | Third Degree | 140 |
Related Charges in Leon County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 1,866 | 36.0% | 0.6% |
| Drug Possession | 1,011 | 67.0% | 1.2% |
| Larceny / Theft | 920 | 56.6% | 2.6% |
| Battery | 694 | 49.4% | 2.9% |
| Other | 602 | 39.5% | 2.3% |
| Trespassing | 766 | 40.2% | 2.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 552 | 57.4% | 2.4% |
| Fraud | 317 | 53.6% | 4.4% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Criminal Mischief in Leon County?
The guilty rate is 48.1% based on 237 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Criminal Mischief in Leon County?
Adjudication is withheld in 20.3% 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 Leon County?
The average sentence is 8.7 months (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
62.4% of defendants use a public defender, while 14.8% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Criminal Mischief in Leon County, Florida (2025). Based on 237 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/criminal-mischief/leon
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Leon 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 · 237 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com