Trespassing in St. Johns County, Florida

Trespassing charges in St. Johns County result in guilty pleas or verdicts in 82.5 percent of cases, a notably high rate compared to the statewide pattern. The withheld adjudication rate of 7.8 percent falls well below Florida's statewide average of 11.5 percent, meaning fewer defendants here avoid a formal conviction through that mechanism. Dismissals occur in 4 percent of trespassing cases, marginally above the statewide rate of 3.8 percent. Diversion programs, which allow defendants to sidestep conviction entirely, are used in only 5.2 percent of cases—significantly less than the statewide average of 3.1 percent—suggesting the State Attorney's office pursues these charges to formal resolution rather than offering alternative resolution pathways.

When trespassing cases reach sentencing, the median jail sentence is 20 days, though the average stretches to 39.4 days, indicating some cases receive substantially longer terms. Over three-quarters of defendants receive jail time rather than prison confinement. Probation terms average 339 days, and fines average about 209 dollars. Nearly half of defendants are represented by public defenders, while just 4.6 percent retain private counsel, reflecting the economic circumstances of most trespassing defendants in the county.