DUI in Okeechobee County, Florida
98 cases (2025) · Okeechobee County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Okeechobee County handled 98 DUI cases with a 95.9% guilty rate. The county recorded 1% dismissals and 2% acquittals, placing it near statewide averages (1.4% dismissal, 2.1% diversion), with no withheld adjudication or diversion programs employed. This reflects a moderate prosecution stance relative to other small Florida counties.
Sentencing in Okeechobee was notably lenient. Average sentences were 51 days with a median of 45 days, among the shortest for DUI across Florida's counties. Jail confinement accounted for 30.6% of cases. Probation averaged 361 days and fines $1,083. Public defenders handled 45.9% of cases and private counsel 28.6%, suggesting a mixed-income defendant population.
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. A portion of DUI cases in Okeechobee County receive adjudication withheld or diversion.
Typical resolution time for DUI cases in Okeechobee County.
Source: Florida Statutes & DHSMV administrative rules — general process overview, not legal advice.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every DUI charge in Okeechobee County makes it in front of a judge. Of 369 prosecutor decisions on DUI charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 9.2% — 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 — 95.9% of 98 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 98 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 | 133 | 2.3 months |
| State Prison Facility | 8 | 33.5 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: DUI sentencing in Okeechobee 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 | 53 | 94.3% | 1.9% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 139 | 98.6% | 0.0% | 4.5 years |
| 2024 | 128 | 99.2% | 0.8% | 3.5 months |
| 2025 | 98 | 95.9% | 1.0% | 1.7 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 | Second Degree | 198 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 140 |
| Misdemeanor | Not Applicable | 15 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 12 |
Related Charges in Okeechobee County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 506 | 61.7% | 0.6% |
| Drug Possession | 314 | 76.1% | 8.3% |
| Other | 221 | 58.8% | 17.2% |
| Contempt of Court | 137 | 12.4% | 87.6% |
| Larceny / Theft | 137 | 85.4% | 1.5% |
| Battery | 131 | 75.6% | 8.4% |
| Resisting Officer | 87 | 81.6% | 6.9% |
| Trespassing | 67 | 73.1% | 13.4% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for DUI in Okeechobee County?
The guilty rate is 95.9% based on 98 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for DUI in Okeechobee County?
Adjudication is withheld in 0.0% 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 Okeechobee County?
The average sentence is 1.7 months, with an average fine of $1,083 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
45.9% of defendants use a public defender, while 28.6% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). DUI in Okeechobee County, Florida (2025). Based on 98 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/dui/okeechobee
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Okeechobee 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 · 98 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com