Drug Possession in Brevard County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney
300 cases compared (2025) · Brevard County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In Brevard County, we compared 226 Drug Possession cases with public defenders against 74 cases with private attorneys (2025). Public defenders achieved a 0.4 percentage point higher dismissal rate.
Dismissal Rate by Counsel Type (2025)
Exhibit · Dismissal rate by counsel type, Brevard County (2025)
GapPublic defender clients' dismissal rate runs 0.4 points above private attorney clients in Brevard County.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 300 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Full Comparison: Public Defender vs Private Attorney (2025)
| Metric | Public Defender | Private Attorney |
|---|---|---|
| Total Cases | 226 | 74 |
| Dismissal Rate | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Conviction Rate | 96.5% | 86.5% |
| Guilty Rate | 84.1% | 56.8% |
| Adjudication Withheld | 12.4% | 29.7% |
| Diversion Rate | 1.3% | 12.2% |
| Avg Sentence | 5.4 months | 8.3 months |
| Avg Fine | $0 | $0 |
| Avg Probation | 1 year, 8 months | 1 year, 8 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 (2025)
Statewide, the dismissal rate for Drug Possession is 1.0% with public defenders and 1.3% with private attorneys (0.3 point difference). Brevard County's -0.4 point difference is below the statewide average.
| Location | PD Dismissal | Private Dismissal | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brevard County | 0.4% | 0.0% | -0.4 pts |
| Florida (Statewide) | 1.0% | 1.3% | +0.3 pts |
Other Charges in Brevard County (2023-2025)
| Charge | PD Cases | PD Dismissal | Private Cases | Private Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 660 | 1.2% | 348 | 3.4% |
| Larceny / Theft | 409 | 0.2% | 75 | 1.3% |
| Battery | 266 | 3.0% | 114 | 1.8% |
| DUI | 143 | 0.0% | 224 | 2.2% |
| Contempt of Court | 221 | 77.8% | 83 | 85.5% |
| Other | 195 | 2.1% | 84 | 13.1% |
| Resisting Officer | 194 | 0.5% | 58 | 1.7% |
| Burglary | 111 | 1.8% | 24 | 0.0% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should you hire a private attorney for Drug Possession in Brevard County?
In Brevard County, private attorney clients have a 0.0% dismissal rate for Drug Possession compared to 0.4% for public defender clients. This is a -0.4 percentage point difference based on 300 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
What are the conviction rates for Drug Possession in Brevard County by counsel type?
The conviction rate for Drug Possession in Brevard County is 96.5% with a public defender and 86.5% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
How does Brevard County compare to statewide averages for Drug Possession counsel outcomes?
Statewide, the dismissal rate is 1.0% for public defenders and 1.3% for private attorneys. Brevard County's difference of -0.4 points compares to a statewide difference of 0.3 points.
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Possession in Brevard County, Florida — Public Defender vs Private Attorney Outcomes (2025). Based on 300 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/counsel-outcomes/drug-possession/brevard
Conviction includes guilty pleas and adjudication withheld. Data covers 2023–2025 FDLE public court records. Last updated: September 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 · 300 cases analyzed · Brevard County · 2025 · Data last updated September 2026