DUI in Nassau County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney

In Nassau County, we compared 222 DUI cases with public defenders against 123 cases with private attorneys (2023-2025). Both counsel types had similar dismissal rates.

0.0%
PD Dismissal Rate
222 cases
0.0%
Private Attorney Dismissal Rate
123 cases
0.0 pts
Dismissal Rate Difference
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Full Comparison: Public Defender vs Private Attorney

Metric Public Defender Private Attorney Self-Represented
Total Cases 222 123 8
Dismissal Rate 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Conviction Rate 100.0% 96.7% 100.0%
Guilty Rate 99.5% 96.7% 100.0%
Adjudication Withheld 0.5% 0.0% 0.0%
Diversion Rate 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Avg Sentence 3.3 months 1.6 months 9.1 months
Avg Fine $882.40 $860.47 $1,080
Avg Probation 1 year 11.7 months 1 year

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 DUI is 1.3% with public defenders and 0.9% with private attorneys (-0.4 point difference). Nassau County's 0.0 point difference is above the statewide average.

Location PD Dismissal Private Dismissal Difference
Nassau County 0.0% 0.0% 0.0 pts
Florida (Statewide) 1.3% 0.9% -0.4 pts

Other Charges in Nassau County

Charge PD Cases PD Dismissal Private Cases Private Dismissal
Traffic Offense 423 1.2% 508 0.0%
Drug Possession 588 0.0% 72 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%

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Frequently Asked Questions

In Nassau County, private attorney clients have a 0.0% dismissal rate for DUI compared to 0.0% for public defender clients. This is a 0.0 percentage point difference based on 345 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
The conviction rate for DUI in Nassau County is 100.0% with a public defender and 96.7% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
Statewide, the dismissal rate is 1.3% for public defenders and 0.9% for private attorneys. Nassau County's difference of 0.0 points compares to a statewide difference of -0.4 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 · 345 cases analyzed · Nassau County · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026