Trespassing in Palm Beach County, Florida

In Palm Beach County, trespassing cases result in guilty findings in roughly 7 of 10 cases, a rate slightly above the statewide average. The county's dismissal rate of 2 percent trails the statewide average by 1.8 percentage points, suggesting the State Attorney's office pursues these charges more aggressively than prosecutors elsewhere in Florida. However, Palm Beach County uses adjudication withheld at a higher rate than the state average—13.5 percent compared to 11.5 percent statewide—meaning a meaningful share of defendants avoid formal conviction records. Diversion programs are notably prevalent here at 12.5 percent, well above the statewide average of 3.1 percent, indicating the county offers defendants clear pathways to avoid conviction through program completion.

Defendants convicted or withheld face modest confinement: only 34 percent receive jail time, while prison is rare at 0.3 percent. Median sentences are short at 20 days, though probation averages over 10 months. Fines average $536. The overwhelming majority of defendants—83 percent—are represented by public defenders, reflecting the economic profile of those charged with trespassing. This data suggests Palm Beach County treats trespassing as a serious but not severe offense, with strong emphasis on diversion and withheld adjudications rather than traditional conviction outcomes.