Should You Hire a Private Attorney for Domestic Violence in Florida?

We compared 179 Domestic Violence cases with public defenders against 122 cases with private attorneys across Florida (2023-2025). Private attorneys achieved a 2.4 percentage point higher dismissal rate.

1.7%
PD Dismissal Rate
179 cases
4.1%
Private Attorney Dismissal Rate
122 cases
+2.4 pts
Dismissal Rate Difference
The data shows private attorneys achieve a 2.4 percentage point higher dismissal rate for Domestic Violence in Florida. 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 179 122 38
Dismissal Rate 1.7% 4.1% 2.6%
Conviction Rate 82.1% 77.0% 86.8%
Guilty Rate 55.9% 50.0% 57.9%
Adjudication Withheld 26.3% 27.0% 28.9%
Diversion Rate 12.8% 15.6% 10.5%
Avg Sentence 1 year, 6 months 2.8 years 1 year, 8 months
Avg Fine $391.23 $840.67 $379.66
Avg Probation 3.3 years 4.2 years 3.5 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. Public defenders carry heavier caseloads but have deep institutional knowledge of local courts. This data is informational and does not constitute legal advice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Based on 301 Domestic Violence cases in Florida (2023-2025), private attorney clients have a 4.1% dismissal rate compared to 1.7% for public defender clients. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
For Domestic Violence in Florida, the conviction rate (guilty + adjudication withheld) is 82.1% with a public defender and 77.0% with a private attorney.
For Domestic Violence cases with sentences imposed, the average sentence is 1 year, 6 months with a public defender and 2.8 years with a private attorney. Average fines are $391.23 (PD) vs $840.67 (private).

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 · 301 cases analyzed · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026