Trespassing in Broward County, Florida

Trespassing in Broward County produces outcomes strikingly different from statewide norms, with conviction—either guilty or adjudication withheld—resulting in 94 percent of cases. While the dismissal rate of 3.2 percent trails the statewide average of 3.8 percent by less than a percentage point, the withheld rate of 42.5 percent far exceeds the statewide average of 11.5 percent. This means Broward judges frequently find guilt but spare defendants a formal conviction record. Guilty verdicts account for 51.5 percent of outcomes, suggesting prosecutors and judges in this circuit treat trespassing as a serious matter despite its misdemeanor classification. The diversion rate of 2.6 percent is marginally below the statewide 3.1 percent, indicating that pre-trial diversion remains rare in Broward's trespassing cases.

Sentences reflect the conviction-heavy caseload. The median sentence of 24 days contrasts sharply with an average of 64.5 days, showing that outliers drive up the mean. Nearly 28 percent of defendants spend time in jail, though less than 1 percent receive prison sentences. Probation is the dominant sentence structure, averaging 517 days, making supervised release the practical consequence for most convicted defendants rather than incarceration.