Disorderly Conduct in Palm Beach County, Florida
343 cases (2025) · Palm Beach County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Palm Beach County's approach to disorderly conduct diverged sharply from other Florida counties. While 49.6% of cases resulted in guilty verdicts and 8.5% received adjudication withheld, the defining feature was diversion: 39.7% of defendants resolved charges through diversion programs, far exceeding the statewide rate of 7.8%. This reflects an explicit policy favoring rehabilitation over formal adjudication. Dismissals and acquittals combined for just 2.1%, close to statewide patterns.
Sentenced defendants averaged 25.6 days with jail time in only 24.5% of cases—the lowest confinement rate observed—and probation averaging 147 days, also below state norms. The 69.4% public defender rate indicates a predominantly lower-income defendant population, yet outcomes remained comparatively lenient.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Disorderly Conduct charge in Palm Beach County makes it in front of a judge. Of 153 prosecutor decisions on Disorderly Conduct charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 9.2% — below the 34.1% 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 — 49.6% of 343 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 343 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 | 230 | 25 days |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Disorderly Conduct sentencing in Palm Beach 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 | 224 | 44.6% | 0.0% |
| Black | 119 | 58.8% | 2.5% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 326 | 48.8% | 1.2% | 24 days |
| 2024 | 323 | 45.2% | 1.9% | 26 days |
| 2025 | 343 | 49.6% | 0.9% | 25 days |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 902 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 90 |
Related Charges in Palm Beach County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 18,608 | 27.0% | 0.4% |
| Other | 5,544 | 11.7% | 0.4% |
| Drug Possession | 3,574 | 68.0% | 0.3% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,182 | 63.8% | 0.5% |
| Battery | 2,689 | 45.0% | 0.5% |
| Trespassing | 2,271 | 69.7% | 1.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,091 | 61.8% | 0.5% |
| DUI | 1,691 | 95.6% | 0.3% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Disorderly Conduct in Palm Beach County?
The guilty rate is 49.6% based on 343 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Disorderly Conduct in Palm Beach County?
Adjudication is withheld in 8.5% 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 Disorderly Conduct in Palm Beach County?
The average sentence is 25 days (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
69.4% of defendants use a public defender, while 19.8% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Disorderly Conduct in Palm Beach County, Florida (2025). Based on 343 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/disorderly-conduct/palm-beach
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Palm Beach 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 · 343 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com