Homicide in Duval County, Florida
222 cases (2025) · Duval County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Duval County's homicide prosecutions resulted in 89% guilty verdicts. Notably, 8% of defendants were acquitted—an exceptional success rate in homicide defense. Withheld adjudication occurred in less than 1% of cases, and dismissals in 0.9% against the state average of 2.0%. Diversion did not occur, standard for this charge.
Sentences reflected homicide severity: average 58,170 days (approximately 159 years), median 9,131 days (approximately 25 years). Prison sentences were imposed in 82% of cases. Private counsel represented 69% of defendants—substantially above statewide patterns—suggesting concentration of resources on capital defense.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Homicide charge in Duval County makes it in front of a judge. Of 181 prosecutor decisions on Homicide charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 17.7% — below the 27.9% 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 — 89.2% of 222 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 222 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 |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 521 | 67.6 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Homicide sentencing in Duval 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 176 | 88.6% | 0.6% |
| White | 43 | 90.7% | 2.3% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 204 | 94.6% | 0.0% | 20.2 years |
| 2024 | 199 | 96.5% | 0.0% | 19.2 years |
| 2025 | 222 | 89.2% | 0.9% | 159.4 years |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | First Degree | 366 |
| Felony | Life | 171 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 85 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 2 |
| Felony | Capital | 1 |
Related Charges in Duval County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 7,130 | 36.9% | 3.3% |
| Drug Possession | 4,899 | 73.9% | 0.1% |
| Other | 4,405 | 22.2% | 0.6% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,441 | 68.9% | 0.3% |
| Battery | 1,878 | 65.2% | 0.6% |
| Resisting Officer | 2,076 | 81.3% | 0.2% |
| Trespassing | 1,795 | 84.4% | 0.4% |
| DUI | 1,415 | 98.1% | 0.2% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Homicide in Duval County?
The guilty rate is 89.2% based on 222 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Homicide in Duval County?
Adjudication is withheld in 0.5% 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 Homicide in Duval County?
The average sentence is 159.4 years, with an average fine of $500 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
31.5% of defendants use a public defender, while 68.5% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Homicide in Duval County, Florida (2025). Based on 222 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/homicide/duval
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Duval 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 · 222 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com