Resisting Officer in Santa Rosa County, Florida

317 cases (2025) · Santa Rosa County courts

In 2025, Santa Rosa County tracked closely to statewide averages in resisting officer cases. The guilty rate of 74.4% was moderate, dismissals reached 2.2% (essentially matching the 2.1% statewide average), and diversion programs resolved 6% of cases, slightly above the 5% average. Withheld adjudications occurred in 13.6% of cases, just below the 14.7% statewide figure. This consistency suggests Santa Rosa follows typical prosecution patterns.

Sentences were moderate in Santa Rosa. Average sentences were 256 days with a median of 122 days, and probation averaged 475 days. Confinement involved 4.1% prison and 43.2% jail. Fines averaged $131. Representation was primarily public defender (30.6%), with very limited private attorney involvement (6.9%), suggesting limited access to private counsel. Santa Rosa's outcomes aligned with statewide norms, offering neither unusually harsh nor particularly lenient resolution patterns.

317
Total Cases (2025)
74.4%
Guilty Rate
13.6%
Withheld Rate
2.2%
Dismissal Rate
vs 2.1% statewide, 2025
8.5 months
Avg Sentence

Not every Resisting Officer charge in Santa Rosa County makes it in front of a judge. Of 585 prosecutor decisions on Resisting Officer charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 19.5% — below the 26.5% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.

Filed for prosecution
78.1% (457)
Declined to file
1.0% (6)
Dropped after filing
17.8% (104)
Administratively dismissed
0.7% (4)
Pre-trial diversion
2.4% (14)

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.

I Outcomes

Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)

Guilty
74.4% (236)
Withheld
13.6% (43)
Diversion
6.0% (19)
Dismissed
2.2% (7)
Acquitted
0.6% (2)

Largest outcomeGuilty — 74.4% of 317 cases.

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 317 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com

II Sentencing

Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)

8.5 months
Avg Sentence
4.1 months
Median Sentence
1 year, 4 months
Avg Probation
$131
Avg Fine
4.1%
Prison Rate
43.2%
Jail Rate

Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).

Confinement Type Count Avg Sentence
County Jail 393 5.6 months
State Prison Facility 38 3.4 years
97
Public Defender
79.4% guilty · 3.1% dismissed
22
Private Attorney
45.5% guilty · 4.5% dismissed
20
Self or Unrepresented
70.0% guilty · 10.0% dismissed

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 247 76.5% 1.6%
Black 56 66.1% 5.4%
6.9%
Under 21
20.8%
21-29
33.8%
30-39
23.3%
40-49
9.1%
50-59
6.0%
60+

Exhibit · Disposition trends

Year Cases Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate Avg Sentence
2023 259 77.2% 0.4% 6.6 months
2024 309 71.5% 0.3% 10.8 months
2025 317 74.4% 2.2% 8.5 months

Quarterly detail

0.0%
0.0%
1.4%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
1.2%
5.1%
2.2%
1.3%
0.0%
Q1’23 Q2’23 Q3’23 Q4’23 Q1’24 Q2’24 Q3’24 Q4’24 Q1’25 Q2’25 Q3’25 Q4’25

Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.

Level Degree Cases
Misdemeanor First Degree 739
Felony Third Degree 120
Felony Second Degree 14
Misdemeanor Second Degree 9
Felony First Degree 3
Charge Cases Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate
Traffic Offense 1,307 60.4% 4.9%
Drug Possession 961 74.1% 0.4%
Larceny / Theft 545 64.6% 0.4%
Other 386 67.4% 6.7%
Battery 410 55.9% 0.7%
DUI 397 93.7% 1.8%
Sex Offense 157 80.3% 12.1%
Trespassing 144 84.0% 0.0%
III Getting Help

Need a Defense Attorney in Santa Rosa County?

Get matched with a local attorney who handles Resisting Officer cases. Free, confidential, no obligation.

What is the guilty rate for Resisting Officer in Santa Rosa County?

The guilty rate is 74.4% based on 317 cases (2025).

How often is adjudication withheld for Resisting Officer in Santa Rosa County?

Adjudication is withheld in 13.6% 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 Resisting Officer in Santa Rosa County?

The average sentence is 8.5 months, with an average fine of $131 (2025).

What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?

30.6% of defendants use a public defender, while 6.9% retain private counsel (2025).

Cite this page

FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Resisting Officer in Santa Rosa County, Florida (2025). Based on 317 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/resisting-officer/santa-rosa

About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Santa Rosa 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 · 317 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com