Resisting Officer in Clay County, Florida

Clay County prosecutes resisting an officer far more aggressively than the statewide average. The 71.5 percent guilty rate combined with a 25.2 percent adjudication withheld rate means 96.7 percent of cases result in either conviction or a withheld finding—compared to a statewide withheld rate of just 14.5 percent. Dismissals occur in only 0.4 percent of cases, roughly one-quarter the statewide rate of 1.9 percent. This pattern suggests Clay County's State Attorney treats resisting charges as serious matters with high conviction outcomes, leaving little room for case rejection or diversion.

When cases do not end in dismissal, defendants face significant consequences. Over half receive jail time, with an average sentence of 271.5 days, though the median of 60 days indicates outcomes vary widely. About 5 percent receive prison sentences. Probation follows most cases, averaging over 500 days. Fines are modest, averaging $413. The low diversion rate of 2.2 percent—less than half the statewide average—means defendants rarely avoid conviction through program completion, making the withheld adjudication outcome the most likely path to avoiding a permanent criminal record in Clay County.