Drug Possession in Nassau County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney

In Nassau County, we compared 588 Drug Possession cases with public defenders against 72 cases with private attorneys (2023-2025). Both counsel types had similar dismissal rates.

0.0%
PD Dismissal Rate
588 cases
0.0%
Private Attorney Dismissal Rate
72 cases
0.0 pts
Dismissal Rate Difference
Facing Drug Possession charges in Nassau County?

Full Comparison: Public Defender vs Private Attorney

Metric Public Defender Private Attorney Self-Represented
Total Cases 588 72 31
Dismissal Rate 0.0% 0.0% 3.2%
Conviction Rate 99.5% 100.0% 96.8%
Guilty Rate 72.8% 48.6% 48.4%
Adjudication Withheld 26.7% 51.4% 48.4%
Diversion Rate 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Avg Sentence 11.4 months 9.2 months 0 days
Avg Fine $605.02 $902.38 $89.30
Avg Probation 1 year, 9 months 1 year, 10 months 1 year, 9 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 Drug Possession is 1.0% with public defenders and 1.3% with private attorneys (0.3 point difference). Nassau County's 0.0 point difference is below the statewide average.

Location PD Dismissal Private Dismissal Difference
Nassau County 0.0% 0.0% 0.0 pts
Florida (Statewide) 1.0% 1.3% +0.3 pts

Other Charges in Nassau County

Charge PD Cases PD Dismissal Private Cases Private Dismissal
Traffic Offense 423 1.2% 508 0.0%
DUI 222 0.0% 123 0.0%
Larceny / Theft 223 0.0% 26 0.0%
Battery 194 0.5% 38 0.0%
Other 142 0.0% 40 5.0%
Resisting Officer 87 0.0% 29 0.0%
Disorderly Conduct 91 0.0% 21 0.0%
Hit and Run 35 0.0% 18 0.0%

Need a Defense Attorney in Nassau County?

Get matched with a local attorney who handles Drug Possession cases. Free, confidential, no obligation.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Nassau County, private attorney clients have a 0.0% dismissal rate for Drug Possession compared to 0.0% for public defender clients. This is a 0.0 percentage point difference based on 660 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
The conviction rate for Drug Possession in Nassau County is 99.5% with a public defender and 100.0% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
Statewide, the dismissal rate is 1.0% for public defenders and 1.3% for private attorneys. Nassau County's difference of 0.0 points compares to a statewide difference of 0.3 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 · 660 cases analyzed · Nassau County · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026