Trespassing in Martin County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney

In Martin County, we compared 320 Trespassing cases with public defenders against 38 cases with private attorneys (2023-2025). Private attorneys achieved a 4.8 percentage point higher dismissal rate.

3.1%
PD Dismissal Rate
320 cases
7.9%
Private Attorney Dismissal Rate
38 cases
+4.8 pts
Dismissal Rate Difference
The data shows private attorneys achieve a 4.8 percentage point higher dismissal rate for Trespassing in Martin 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 320 38 131
Dismissal Rate 3.1% 7.9% 0.0%
Conviction Rate 95.9% 86.8% 100.0%
Guilty Rate 90.0% 50.0% 88.5%
Adjudication Withheld 5.9% 36.8% 11.5%
Diversion Rate 0.3% 2.6% 0.0%
Avg Sentence 2.8 months 2.0 months 4.2 months
Avg Fine $341.67 $575.00 $150.00
Avg Probation 11.8 months 1 year, 1 months 9.7 months

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 Trespassing is 5.0% with public defenders and 3.5% with private attorneys (-1.5 point difference). Martin County's 4.8 point difference is above the statewide average.

Location PD Dismissal Private Dismissal Difference
Martin County 3.1% 7.9% +4.8 pts
Florida (Statewide) 5.0% 3.5% -1.5 pts

Other Charges in Martin County

Charge PD Cases PD Dismissal Private Cases Private Dismissal
Traffic Offense 1,172 0.6% 1,139 0.4%
Drug Possession 1,135 8.3% 911 4.9%
Other 690 37.7% 699 40.2%
DUI 527 0.2% 751 0.8%
Larceny / Theft 579 1.7% 366 0.3%
Sex Offense 449 0.4% 491 0.0%
Resisting Officer 458 2.8% 273 0.4%
Escape / Failure to Appear 567 48.5% 140 54.3%

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Frequently Asked Questions

In Martin County, private attorney clients have a 7.9% dismissal rate for Trespassing compared to 3.1% for public defender clients. This is a 4.8 percentage point difference based on 358 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
The conviction rate for Trespassing in Martin County is 95.9% with a public defender and 86.8% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
Statewide, the dismissal rate is 5.0% for public defenders and 3.5% for private attorneys. Martin County's difference of 4.8 points compares to a statewide difference of -1.5 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 · 358 cases analyzed · Martin County · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026