Drug Possession in Lake County, Florida
1,391 cases (2025) · Lake County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Lake County processed 1,391 drug possession cases with moderate conviction rates. Guilty verdicts reached 79.4%, with 12.4% adjudication withheld. Dismissals remained rare at 0.4%, below the statewide average of 1.4 percentage points, but the county's diversion rate of 7.3% exceeded the state average of 5.6%, suggesting some defendants completed programs to avoid conviction.
Sentencing stayed proportionate to offense severity. Median sentence was 120 days, with average probation of 812 days. Prison sentences were uncommon (9.4%), but jail time affected 36.7% of defendants. Fines averaged $349. Public defenders represented 69.9% of defendants—the highest rate observed—indicating this county's drug possession caseload skewed toward economically disadvantaged populations.
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 36.7% 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 — 79.4% of 1,391 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 1,391 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 | 1,324 | 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.
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 | 1,109 | 79.1% | 0.5% |
| Black | 277 | 81.2% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,556 | 76.2% | 0.8% | 8.9 months |
| 2024 | 1,369 | 79.0% | 1.4% | 10.6 months |
| 2025 | 1,391 | 79.4% | 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 | 2,032 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 1,616 |
| Felony | NULL | 348 |
| Misdemeanor | NULL | 293 |
| 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 | 2,230 | 74.0% | 0.5% |
| Other | 1,817 | 14.0% | 0.9% |
| Larceny / Theft | 1,004 | 65.9% | 0.9% |
| Battery | 654 | 56.6% | 1.4% |
| Resisting Officer | 565 | 78.8% | 1.1% |
| DUI | 417 | 99.0% | 1.0% |
| Trespassing | 426 | 88.3% | 1.9% |
| Sex Offense | 342 | 90.4% | 6.1% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Drug Possession in Lake County?
The guilty rate is 79.4% based on 1,391 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Drug Possession in Lake County?
Adjudication is withheld in 12.4% 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?
The average sentence is 9.6 months, with an average fine of $349 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
69.9% of defendants use a public defender, while 27.7% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Possession in Lake County, Florida (2025). Based on 1,391 public court records; last updated July 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 · 1,391 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com