Burglary in Walton County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney

In Walton County, we compared 154 Burglary cases with public defenders against 17 cases with private attorneys (2023-2025). Private attorneys achieved a 9.2 percentage point higher dismissal rate.

8.4%
PD Dismissal Rate
154 cases
17.6%
Private Attorney Dismissal Rate
17 cases
+9.2 pts
Dismissal Rate Difference
The data shows private attorneys achieve a 9.2 percentage point higher dismissal rate for Burglary in Walton 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 154 17 1
Dismissal Rate 8.4% 17.6% 0.0%
Conviction Rate 87.0% 58.8% 100.0%
Guilty Rate 79.2% 41.2% 0.0%
Adjudication Withheld 7.8% 17.6% 100.0%
Diversion Rate 3.2% 23.5% 0.0%
Avg Sentence 1 year, 9 months 1 year, 2 months 0 days
Avg Fine $338.85 $363.39 $342.86
Avg Probation 3.1 years 3.7 years 3.0 years

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 Burglary is 1.2% with public defenders and 1.4% with private attorneys (0.2 point difference). Walton County's 9.2 point difference is above the statewide average.

Location PD Dismissal Private Dismissal Difference
Walton County 8.4% 17.6% +9.2 pts
Florida (Statewide) 1.2% 1.4% +0.2 pts

Other Charges in Walton County

Charge PD Cases PD Dismissal Private Cases Private Dismissal
Traffic Offense 680 0.6% 254 1.6%
Drug Possession 677 5.6% 55 9.1%
DUI 226 2.7% 228 0.9%
Battery 290 6.9% 96 2.1%
Larceny / Theft 262 3.1% 42 2.4%
Other 175 11.4% 105 5.7%
Resisting Officer 113 4.4% 25 12.0%
Disorderly Conduct 54 1.9% 27 3.7%

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Frequently Asked Questions

In Walton County, private attorney clients have a 17.6% dismissal rate for Burglary compared to 8.4% for public defender clients. This is a 9.2 percentage point difference based on 171 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
The conviction rate for Burglary in Walton County is 87.0% with a public defender and 58.8% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
Statewide, the dismissal rate is 1.2% for public defenders and 1.4% for private attorneys. Walton County's difference of 9.2 points compares to a statewide difference of 0.2 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 · 171 cases analyzed · Walton County · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026