Drug Possession in Lake County, Florida
1,386 cases (2025) · Lake County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, drug possession in Lake County resulted in guilty verdicts in 79.9% of the 1,386 cases, with 12.3% resulting in adjudication withheld. Lake's large caseload produces stable outcome patterns: dismissals occur in 0.4% of cases (below the 1.4% statewide rate), and diversion programs handle 7.0% (slightly above the 5.4% statewide average). The withheld rate (12.3%) falls below statewide average (16.9%), indicating Lake judges favor formal convictions. The volume of cases reflects Lake's scale—the largest sample reviewed—allowing inference of systematic prosecution and sentencing patterns.
Lake sentences are moderate, with a median of 120 days and average of 288.2 days when confined. Prison accounts for 9.5% of cases; jail 37%. Fines average $349.07. Probation averages 804.9 days. Public defenders represent 69.7% of defendants, indicating high economic need in the local defendant population. Lake's outcomes fall between the harsh Dixie model and the more diversion-focused Hardee approach, suggesting balanced prosecution priorities that maintain confinement pressure while offering modest diversion opportunities.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Drug Possession charge in Lake County makes it in front of a judge. Of 4,262 prosecutor decisions on Drug Possession charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 17.3% — below the 36.8% 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 — 79.9% of 1,386 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 1,386 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 | 1,332 | 4.2 months |
| State Prison Facility | 346 | 2.6 years |
| Confinement to Hospital Facility | 3 | 3.0 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Drug Possession sentencing in Lake County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Drug Possession in Lake County?
The guilty rate is 79.9% based on 1,386 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Drug Possession in Lake County?
Adjudication is withheld in 12.3% 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 Drug Possession in Lake County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 9.6 months, with an average fine of $349 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
69.7% of defendants use a public defender, while 27.9% 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 | 1,106 | 79.4% | 0.5% |
| Black | 275 | 82.2% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,556 | 76.2% | 0.8% | 8.9 months |
| 2024 | 1,368 | 79.1% | 1.4% | 10.5 months |
| 2025 | 1,386 | 79.9% | 0.4% | 9.6 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Third Degree | 2,028 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 1,615 |
| Felony | NULL | 348 |
| Misdemeanor | NULL | 292 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 25 |
| Felony | First Degree | 2 |
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% |
| 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% |
| Sex Offense | 341 | 90.6% | 6.2% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Possession in Lake County, Florida (2025). Based on 1,386 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/drug-possession/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 · 1,386 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com