Should You Hire a Private Attorney for Intimidation / Threats in Florida?

We compared 2,100 Intimidation / Threats cases with public defenders against 1,615 cases with private attorneys across Florida (2023-2025). Both counsel types had similar dismissal rates.

1.9%
PD Dismissal Rate
2,100 cases
1.9%
Private Attorney Dismissal Rate
1,615 cases
0.0 pts
Dismissal Rate Difference
Facing Intimidation / Threats charges in Florida?

Full Comparison: Public Defender vs Private Attorney

Metric Public Defender Private Attorney Self-Represented
Total Cases 2,100 1,615 607
Dismissal Rate 1.9% 1.9% 3.3%
Conviction Rate 88.1% 89.4% 92.6%
Guilty Rate 74.0% 75.3% 80.6%
Adjudication Withheld 14.2% 14.1% 12.0%
Diversion Rate 3.3% 5.1% 1.8%
Avg Sentence 2.4 years 3.3 years 4.8 years
Avg Fine $289.00 $566.71 $180.46
Avg Probation 3.5 years 3.9 years 3.3 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. Public defenders carry heavier caseloads but have deep institutional knowledge of local courts. This data is informational and does not constitute legal advice.

County-by-County Breakdown

Counties where both public defenders and private attorneys handled 20+ Intimidation / Threats cases.

County PD Cases PD Dismissal Private Cases Private Dismissal Difference
Hillsborough 210 5.2% 596 2.7% -2.5 pts
Palm Beach 307 0.3% 121 0.0% -0.3 pts
Volusia 196 0.5% 76 0.0% -0.5 pts
Polk 153 2.6% 56 0.0% -2.6 pts
Miami-Dade 132 2.3% 76 0.0% -2.3 pts
Duval 140 0.0% 61 1.6% +1.6 pts
Pasco 100 2.0% 66 0.0% -2.0 pts
Seminole 64 0.0% 84 0.0% 0.0 pts
Marion 99 1.0% 20 10.0% +9.0 pts
Okaloosa 61 3.3% 48 0.0% -3.3 pts
Orange 72 2.8% 24 8.3% +5.5 pts
Leon 52 1.9% 43 4.7% +2.8 pts
Martin 30 10.0% 55 0.0% -10.0 pts
Lake 53 0.0% 30 0.0% 0.0 pts
St. Johns 31 3.2% 37 0.0% -3.2 pts
Monroe 20 0.0% 29 0.0% 0.0 pts

Facing Intimidation / Threats Charges in Florida?

Get matched with a local defense attorney who handles Intimidation / Threats cases. Free, confidential, no obligation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Based on 3,715 Intimidation / Threats cases in Florida (2023-2025), private attorney clients have a 1.9% dismissal rate compared to 1.9% for public defender clients. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
For Intimidation / Threats in Florida, the conviction rate (guilty + adjudication withheld) is 88.1% with a public defender and 89.4% with a private attorney.
For Intimidation / Threats cases with sentences imposed, the average sentence is 2.4 years with a public defender and 3.3 years with a private attorney. Average fines are $289.00 (PD) vs $566.71 (private).

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 · 3,715 cases analyzed · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026