Traffic Offense in Escambia County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney

In Escambia County, we compared 290 Traffic Offense cases with public defenders against 15 cases with private attorneys (2023-2025). Private attorneys achieved a 2.9 percentage point higher dismissal rate.

3.8%
PD Dismissal Rate
290 cases
6.7%
Private Attorney Dismissal Rate
15 cases
+2.9 pts
Dismissal Rate Difference
The data shows private attorneys achieve a 2.9 percentage point higher dismissal rate for Traffic Offense in Escambia County. 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 290 15 1,472
Dismissal Rate 3.8% 6.7% 3.6%
Conviction Rate 95.5% 86.7% 93.7%
Guilty Rate 83.1% 80.0% 80.1%
Adjudication Withheld 12.4% 6.7% 13.6%
Diversion Rate 0.7% 6.7% 2.4%
Avg Sentence 5.3 months 6.5 months 7.0 months
Avg Fine $420.06 $563.71 $553.79
Avg Probation 1 year, 2 months 1 year 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 Traffic Offense is 2.4% with public defenders and 3.6% with private attorneys (1.2 point difference). Escambia County's 2.9 point difference is above the statewide average.

Location PD Dismissal Private Dismissal Difference
Escambia County 3.8% 6.7% +2.9 pts
Florida (Statewide) 2.4% 3.6% +1.2 pts

Other Charges in Escambia County

Charge PD Cases PD Dismissal Private Cases Private Dismissal
Drug Possession 404 2.5% 32 6.2%
Larceny / Theft 342 3.2% 15 0.0%
Battery 178 6.2% 35 65.7%

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Frequently Asked Questions

In Escambia County, private attorney clients have a 6.7% dismissal rate for Traffic Offense compared to 3.8% for public defender clients. This is a 2.9 percentage point difference based on 305 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
The conviction rate for Traffic Offense in Escambia County is 95.5% with a public defender and 86.7% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
Statewide, the dismissal rate is 2.4% for public defenders and 3.6% for private attorneys. Escambia County's difference of 2.9 points compares to a statewide difference of 1.2 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 · 305 cases analyzed · Escambia County · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026