Homicide in Miami-Dade County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney
222 cases compared (2025) · Miami-Dade County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In Miami-Dade County, we compared 114 Homicide cases with public defenders against 108 cases with private attorneys (2025). Public defenders achieved a 1.7 percentage point higher dismissal rate.
Dismissal Rate by Counsel Type (2025)
Exhibit · Dismissal rate by counsel type, Miami-Dade County (2025)
GapPublic defender clients' dismissal rate runs 1.7 points above private attorney clients in Miami-Dade County.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 222 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Full Comparison: Public Defender vs Private Attorney (2025)
| Metric | Public Defender | Private Attorney |
|---|---|---|
| Total Cases | 114 | 108 |
| Dismissal Rate | 2.6% | 0.9% |
| Conviction Rate | 93.9% | 95.4% |
| Guilty Rate | 83.3% | 77.8% |
| Adjudication Withheld | 10.5% | 17.6% |
| Diversion Rate | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Avg Sentence | 11.3 years | 12.1 years |
| Avg Fine | $450 | $503 |
| Avg Probation | 7.7 years | 8.9 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. This data is informational and does not constitute legal advice.
Statewide Comparison (2025)
Statewide, the dismissal rate for Homicide is 3.4% with public defenders and 2.2% with private attorneys (-1.2 point difference). Miami-Dade County's -1.7 point difference is below the statewide average.
| Location | PD Dismissal | Private Dismissal | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County | 2.6% | 0.9% | -1.7 pts |
| Florida (Statewide) | 3.4% | 2.2% | -1.2 pts |
Other Charges in Miami-Dade County (2023-2025)
| Charge | PD Cases | PD Dismissal | Private Cases | Private Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larceny / Theft | 8,719 | 1.1% | 3,003 | 0.5% |
| Drug Possession | 5,613 | 0.7% | 880 | 1.1% |
| Other | 2,527 | 7.6% | 3,556 | 35.6% |
| Resisting Officer | 3,943 | 2.6% | 1,525 | 1.1% |
| Battery | 3,233 | 2.7% | 2,066 | 1.0% |
| Fraud | 1,840 | 0.7% | 1,916 | 0.2% |
| Burglary | 2,779 | 1.2% | 810 | 0.9% |
| Traffic Offense | 2,360 | 8.1% | 994 | 9.5% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should you hire a private attorney for Homicide in Miami-Dade County?
In Miami-Dade County, private attorney clients have a 0.9% dismissal rate for Homicide compared to 2.6% for public defender clients. This is a -1.7 percentage point difference based on 222 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
What are the conviction rates for Homicide in Miami-Dade County by counsel type?
The conviction rate for Homicide in Miami-Dade County is 93.9% with a public defender and 95.4% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
How does Miami-Dade County compare to statewide averages for Homicide counsel outcomes?
Statewide, the dismissal rate is 3.4% for public defenders and 2.2% for private attorneys. Miami-Dade County's difference of -1.7 points compares to a statewide difference of -1.2 points.
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Homicide in Miami-Dade County, Florida — Public Defender vs Private Attorney Outcomes (2025). Based on 222 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/counsel-outcomes/homicide/miami-dade
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 · 222 cases analyzed · Miami-Dade County · 2025 · Data last updated September 2026