Battery in Monroe County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney

In Monroe County, we compared 174 Battery cases with public defenders against 452 cases with private attorneys (2023-2025). Private attorneys achieved a 1.1 percentage point higher dismissal rate.

0.0%
PD Dismissal Rate
174 cases
1.1%
Private Attorney Dismissal Rate
452 cases
+1.1 pts
Dismissal Rate Difference
The data shows private attorneys achieve a 1.1 percentage point higher dismissal rate for Battery in Monroe County. Get matched with a local defense attorney — free, no obligation.

Full Comparison: Public Defender vs Private Attorney

Metric Public Defender Private Attorney Self-Represented
Total Cases 174 452 28
Dismissal Rate 0.0% 1.1% 0.0%
Conviction Rate 90.2% 76.1% 85.7%
Guilty Rate 72.4% 47.3% 28.6%
Adjudication Withheld 17.8% 28.8% 57.1%
Diversion Rate 8.6% 20.6% 14.3%
Avg Sentence 7.2 months 9.1 months 1.1 months
Avg Fine $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Avg Probation 1 year, 7 months 1 year, 7 months 1 year, 2 months

Important context: Correlation is not causation. Private attorney clients may differ from public defender clients in income, prior criminal history, charge severity, and willingness to go to trial. These factors independently affect outcomes. This data is informational and does not constitute legal advice.

Statewide Comparison

Statewide, the dismissal rate for Battery is 2.7% with public defenders and 1.9% with private attorneys (-0.8 point difference). Monroe County's 1.1 point difference is above the statewide average.

Location PD Dismissal Private Dismissal Difference
Monroe County 0.0% 1.1% +1.1 pts
Florida (Statewide) 2.7% 1.9% -0.8 pts

Other Charges in Monroe County

Charge PD Cases PD Dismissal Private Cases Private Dismissal
Traffic Offense 482 0.4% 2,653 0.5%
Other 402 1.0% 1,851 2.4%
Drug Possession 506 2.4% 1,077 0.7%
Trespassing 359 0.3% 460 0.2%
Resisting Officer 252 0.4% 519 0.8%
DUI 185 2.2% 567 2.5%
Larceny / Theft 252 0.8% 428 0.9%
Fraud 129 0.0% 240 0.8%

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Frequently Asked Questions

In Monroe County, private attorney clients have a 1.1% dismissal rate for Battery compared to 0.0% for public defender clients. This is a 1.1 percentage point difference based on 626 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
The conviction rate for Battery in Monroe County is 90.2% with a public defender and 76.1% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
Statewide, the dismissal rate is 2.7% for public defenders and 1.9% for private attorneys. Monroe County's difference of 1.1 points compares to a statewide difference of -0.8 points.

Conviction includes guilty pleas and adjudication withheld. Data covers 2023–2025 FDLE public court records. Last updated: March 2026

Important: Differences in outcomes between public defenders and private attorneys may reflect differences in case complexity, defendant resources, charge severity, and other factors — not solely attorney quality. These statistics do not predict individual case outcomes.

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 626 cases analyzed · Monroe County · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026