DUI in Miami-Dade County, Florida
86 cases (2025) · Miami-Dade County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Miami-Dade County diverged sharply from statewide DUI patterns, handling 86 cases with a 77.9% guilty rate. The county used diversion in 12.8% of cases and achieved dismissals in 3.5%—both significantly above statewide averages (2.1% diversion, 1.4% dismissal). Withheld adjudication appeared in 5.8% of cases. This profile reflects a more balanced prosecutorial approach preserving alternatives to conviction.
Sentencing followed this protective posture. Average sentences were 220 days with a median of 150 days, and only 10.5% served prison time. Notably, 61.6% of defendants retained private counsel, the highest rate among all DUI counties. Fines averaged just $416, the lowest recorded, indicating lower penalties relative to alternatives in this urban jurisdiction.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Where You Are in the Process
Exhibit · DUI case process
Request a formal review hearing with the DMV (DHSMV) to challenge your license suspension. Missing this deadline means an automatic suspension.
Arraignment. Charges are formally presented. Pre-trial diversion may be offered.
Pre-trial period. Your attorney negotiates with the State Attorney's office. 18.6% of DUI cases in Miami-Dade County receive adjudication withheld or diversion.
Typical resolution time for DUI cases in Miami-Dade County.
Source: Florida Statutes & DHSMV administrative rules — general process overview, not legal advice.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every DUI charge in Miami-Dade County makes it in front of a judge. Of 5,594 prosecutor decisions on DUI charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 1.9% — below the 15.3% 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 — 77.9% of 86 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 86 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 | 70 | 3.2 months |
| State Prison Facility | 32 | 1 year, 8 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: DUI sentencing in Miami-Dade County.
Need a Defense Attorney in Miami-Dade County?
Get matched with a local attorney who handles DUI cases. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for DUI in Miami-Dade County?
The guilty rate is 77.9% based on 86 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for DUI in Miami-Dade County?
Adjudication is withheld in 5.8% 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 DUI in Miami-Dade County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 7.3 months, with an average fine of $416 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
36.0% of defendants use a public defender, while 61.6% 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 | 65 | 78.5% | 4.6% |
| Black | 20 | 75.0% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 108 | 88.9% | 0.0% | 7.6 months |
| 2024 | 71 | 78.9% | 0.0% | 11.3 months |
| 2025 | 86 | 77.9% | 3.5% | 7.3 months |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | Second Degree | 100 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 86 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 65 |
| NULL | NULL | 13 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 1 |
Related Charges in Miami-Dade County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 4,568 | 20.8% | 47.2% |
| Larceny / Theft | 4,727 | 65.2% | 0.5% |
| Drug Possession | 2,849 | 65.8% | 0.7% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,016 | 52.2% | 2.1% |
| Battery | 1,905 | 46.0% | 1.9% |
| Burglary | 1,192 | 69.1% | 1.0% |
| Fraud | 1,417 | 40.0% | 0.5% |
| Traffic Offense | 1,104 | 56.7% | 5.5% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). DUI in Miami-Dade County, Florida (2025). Based on 86 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/dui/miami-dade
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Miami-Dade 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 · 86 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com