Drug Possession in Union County, Florida

Drug possession cases in Union County result in guilty verdicts at a notably high rate of 85.2 percent, compared to a statewide withheld adjudication rate of 17.4 percent that Union County achieves in only 10.4 percent of cases. The county has no recorded dismissals or acquittals in this dataset, falling 1.5 percentage points below the statewide dismissal average of 1.5 percent. Diversion programs, which allow defendants to avoid conviction entirely, are used in just 4.4 percent of cases locally versus 5.3 percent statewide. This pattern suggests Union County's State Attorney pursues drug possession charges aggressively with limited alternative pathways to resolution.

Sentences reflect the county's enforcement approach. The median sentence runs 126 days, but the average of 423.1 days indicates some cases draw substantially longer terms. Probation averages 721.9 days across cases. Confinement is split between jail and prison, with 41 percent receiving jail time and 23 percent receiving prison sentences. Fines average $285. Public defenders represent 37.2 percent of defendants, suggesting a significant portion of those charged lack private counsel resources.