Drug Possession in Santa Rosa County, Florida
961 cases (2025) · Santa Rosa County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Santa Rosa County's drug possession cases show outcomes comparable to statewide patterns, with withheld adjudications at 18.8% moderately exceeding the statewide 16.9%, and diversion at 6.6% slightly above 5.6%. The dismissal rate of 0.4% is notably lower than the statewide 1.4%, indicating the State Attorney pursues conviction more consistently. Overall, Santa Rosa leans slightly toward withheld adjudications and away from dismissals compared to state averages.
Santa Rosa defendants received an average sentence of 319 days with a median of 180 days and probation averaging 574 days. Incarceration was split between jail at 46.8% and prison at 10.3%, with the majority of defendants facing some confinement. Public defenders represented 35.1% of cases while private counsel appeared in only 5.4%, indicating limited access to private representation.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Drug Possession charge in Santa Rosa County makes it in front of a judge. Of 2,280 prosecutor decisions on Drug Possession charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 18.0% — 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 — 74.1% of 961 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 961 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 | 1,754 | 6.3 months |
| State Prison Facility | 350 | 2.7 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Drug Possession sentencing in Santa Rosa 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 | 836 | 77.2% | 0.1% |
| Black | 106 | 52.8% | 2.8% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,395 | 72.4% | 0.4% | 10.7 months |
| 2024 | 1,285 | 72.7% | 0.6% | 10.8 months |
| 2025 | 961 | 74.1% | 0.4% | 10.6 months |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 2,045 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 1,571 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 23 |
| Felony | First Degree | 1 |
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 1 |
Related Charges in Santa Rosa County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 1,307 | 60.4% | 4.9% |
| Larceny / Theft | 545 | 64.6% | 0.4% |
| Other | 386 | 67.4% | 6.7% |
| Battery | 410 | 55.9% | 0.7% |
| DUI | 397 | 93.7% | 1.8% |
| Resisting Officer | 317 | 74.4% | 2.2% |
| Sex Offense | 157 | 80.3% | 12.1% |
| Trespassing | 144 | 84.0% | 0.0% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Drug Possession in Santa Rosa County?
The guilty rate is 74.1% based on 961 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Drug Possession in Santa Rosa County?
Adjudication is withheld in 18.8% 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 Santa Rosa County?
The average sentence is 10.6 months, with an average fine of $209 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
35.1% of defendants use a public defender, while 5.4% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Possession in Santa Rosa County, Florida (2025). Based on 961 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/drug-possession/santa-rosa
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Santa Rosa 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 · 961 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com