Should You Hire a Private Attorney for Robbery in Florida?

We compared 2,989 Robbery cases with public defenders against 1,839 cases with private attorneys across Florida (2023-2025). Private attorneys achieved a 0.4 percentage point higher dismissal rate.

1.2%
PD Dismissal Rate
2,989 cases
1.6%
Private Attorney Dismissal Rate
1,839 cases
+0.4 pts
Dismissal Rate Difference
The data shows private attorneys achieve a 0.4 percentage point higher dismissal rate for Robbery in Florida. Get matched with a local defense attorney — free, no obligation.

Full Comparison: Public Defender vs Private Attorney

Metric Public Defender Private Attorney Self-Represented
Total Cases 2,989 1,839 323
Dismissal Rate 1.2% 1.6% 2.8%
Conviction Rate 89.5% 86.7% 92.6%
Guilty Rate 76.5% 71.7% 83.0%
Adjudication Withheld 12.9% 15.0% 9.6%
Diversion Rate 3.6% 7.1% 1.2%
Avg Sentence 6.2 years 9.7 years 7.4 years
Avg Fine $505.98 $522.65 $220.88
Avg Probation 4.0 years 4.5 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+ Robbery cases.

County PD Cases PD Dismissal Private Cases Private Dismissal Difference
Miami-Dade 955 1.0% 493 1.2% +0.2 pts
Hillsborough 208 1.4% 439 1.1% -0.3 pts
Duval 268 0.0% 226 0.0% 0.0 pts
Palm Beach 257 0.0% 171 3.5% +3.5 pts
Orange 280 4.3% 100 5.0% +0.7 pts
Volusia 160 1.9% 47 0.0% -1.9 pts
Leon 77 0.0% 68 0.0% 0.0 pts
Polk 81 0.0% 47 0.0% 0.0 pts
Seminole 65 0.0% 34 0.0% 0.0 pts
Pasco 51 0.0% 37 0.0% 0.0 pts
Lake 20 0.0% 34 5.9% +5.9 pts
Collier 25 4.0% 26 0.0% -4.0 pts
St. Lucie 23 4.3% 21 0.0% -4.3 pts

Facing Robbery Charges in Florida?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Based on 4,828 Robbery cases in Florida (2023-2025), private attorney clients have a 1.6% dismissal rate compared to 1.2% for public defender clients. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
For Robbery in Florida, the conviction rate (guilty + adjudication withheld) is 89.5% with a public defender and 86.7% with a private attorney.
For Robbery cases with sentences imposed, the average sentence is 6.2 years with a public defender and 9.7 years with a private attorney. Average fines are $505.98 (PD) vs $522.65 (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 · 4,828 cases analyzed · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026