Traffic Offense in Monroe County, Florida
985 cases (2025) · Monroe County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Monroe County recorded a withheld adjudication rate of 60.7%—the highest in the sample—with a guilty rate of 37% and dismissal rate of 0.3%. The Sixteenth Judicial Circuit courts resolved the vast majority of cases through withheld adjudication, allowing defendants to avoid conviction records. Private attorneys represented 70.3% of defendants, reflecting the Keys' affluent population.
Sentences averaged 44.7 days with median of 18.5 days. Jail affected 20.7% of defendants, and prison was nearly absent at 0.2%. The combination of high withheld rates, high private representation, and low incarceration reflected a prosecution environment shaped by legal counsel arrangements rather than aggressive confinement policies.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Traffic Offense charge in Monroe County makes it in front of a judge. Of 804 prosecutor decisions on Traffic Offense charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 37.2% — above the 10.3% 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 outcomeAdjudication withheld — 60.7% of 985 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 985 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 | 590 | 1.4 months |
| State Prison Facility | 9 | 2.6 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Traffic Offense sentencing in Monroe 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 | 715 | 33.7% | 0.4% |
| Black | 110 | 54.5% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,349 | 29.1% | 0.4% | 1.5 months |
| 2024 | 1,315 | 28.8% | 0.6% | 2.6 months |
| 2025 | 985 | 37.0% | 0.3% | 1.5 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 | 3,314 |
| Misdemeanor | First Degree | 270 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 65 |
Related Charges in Monroe County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other | 730 | 54.0% | 0.5% |
| Drug Possession | 551 | 52.5% | 1.3% |
| Trespassing | 311 | 89.1% | 0.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 272 | 63.6% | 0.7% |
| DUI | 291 | 89.7% | 1.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 240 | 80.0% | 1.2% |
| Battery | 223 | 52.0% | 0.4% |
| Fraud | 138 | 65.2% | 0.0% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Traffic Offense in Monroe County?
The guilty rate is 37.0% based on 985 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Traffic Offense in Monroe County?
Adjudication is withheld in 60.7% 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 Traffic Offense in Monroe County?
The average sentence is 1.5 months (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
18.4% of defendants use a public defender, while 70.3% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Traffic Offense in Monroe County, Florida (2025). Based on 985 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/traffic-offense/monroe
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Monroe 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 · 985 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com