Drug Possession in Pasco County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney
2,440 cases compared (2025) · Pasco County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In Pasco County, we compared 1,914 Drug Possession cases with public defenders against 526 cases with private attorneys (2025). Private attorneys achieved a 0.9 percentage point higher dismissal rate.
Dismissal Rate by Counsel Type (2025)
Exhibit · Dismissal rate by counsel type, Pasco County (2025)
GapPrivate attorney clients' dismissal rate runs 0.9 points above public defender clients in Pasco County.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 2,440 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Full Comparison: Public Defender vs Private Attorney (2025)
| Metric | Public Defender | Private Attorney |
|---|---|---|
| Total Cases | 1,914 | 526 |
| Dismissal Rate | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| Conviction Rate | 93.5% | 90.9% |
| Guilty Rate | 77.2% | 66.0% |
| Adjudication Withheld | 16.3% | 24.9% |
| Diversion Rate | 5.4% | 8.0% |
| Avg Sentence | 1 year, 2 months | 2.1 years |
| Avg Fine | $169 | $383 |
| Avg Probation | 1 year, 8 months | 1 year, 11 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). Pasco County's 0.9 point difference is above the statewide average.
| Location | PD Dismissal | Private Dismissal | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasco County | 0.2% | 1.1% | +0.9 pts |
| Florida (Statewide) | 1.0% | 1.3% | +0.3 pts |
Other Charges in Pasco County (2023-2025)
| Charge | PD Cases | PD Dismissal | Private Cases | Private Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 3,219 | 0.5% | 1,862 | 0.2% |
| Battery | 2,551 | 2.4% | 1,003 | 0.9% |
| Larceny / Theft | 2,364 | 1.0% | 707 | 0.3% |
| Resisting Officer | 1,521 | 1.5% | 455 | 0.0% |
| DUI | 933 | 2.3% | 1,020 | 2.5% |
| Other | 1,138 | 1.5% | 640 | 0.8% |
| Trespassing | 1,295 | 3.9% | 122 | 0.0% |
| Burglary | 749 | 0.5% | 371 | 3.0% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should you hire a private attorney for Drug Possession in Pasco County?
In Pasco County, private attorney clients have a 1.1% dismissal rate for Drug Possession compared to 0.2% for public defender clients. This is a 0.9 percentage point difference based on 2,440 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
What are the conviction rates for Drug Possession in Pasco County by counsel type?
The conviction rate for Drug Possession in Pasco County is 93.5% with a public defender and 90.9% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
How does Pasco 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. Pasco County's difference of 0.9 points compares to a statewide difference of 0.3 points.
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Possession in Pasco County, Florida — Public Defender vs Private Attorney Outcomes (2025). Based on 2,440 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/counsel-outcomes/drug-possession/pasco
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 · 2,440 cases analyzed · Pasco County · 2025 · Data last updated September 2026