Weapons Offense in Duval County — Public Defender vs Private Attorney
562 cases compared (2025) · Duval County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In Duval County, we compared 303 Weapons Offense cases with public defenders against 259 cases with private attorneys (2025). Public defenders achieved a 0.3 percentage point higher dismissal rate.
Dismissal Rate by Counsel Type (2025)
Exhibit · Dismissal rate by counsel type, Duval County (2025)
GapPublic defender clients' dismissal rate runs 0.3 points above private attorney clients in Duval County.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 562 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Full Comparison: Public Defender vs Private Attorney (2025)
| Metric | Public Defender | Private Attorney | Self-Represented |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cases | 303 | 259 | 29 |
| Dismissal Rate | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Conviction Rate | 99.7% | 98.5% | 93.1% |
| Guilty Rate | 92.1% | 90.3% | 44.8% |
| Adjudication Withheld | 7.6% | 8.1% | 48.3% |
| Diversion Rate | 0.0% | 1.2% | 3.4% |
| Avg Sentence | 3.5 years | 5.4 years | 5.7 months |
| Avg Fine | $1,000 | $5,033 | $125 |
| Avg Probation | 2.0 years | 2.3 years | 1 year, 6 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 (2025)
Statewide, the dismissal rate for Weapons Offense is 1.7% with public defenders and 1.8% with private attorneys (0.1 point difference). Duval County's -0.3 point difference is below the statewide average.
| Location | PD Dismissal | Private Dismissal | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duval County | 0.3% | 0.0% | -0.3 pts |
| Florida (Statewide) | 1.7% | 1.8% | +0.1 pts |
Other Charges in Duval County (2023-2025)
| Charge | PD Cases | PD Dismissal | Private Cases | Private Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drug Possession | 10,406 | 0.1% | 3,426 | 0.1% |
| Traffic Offense | 3,831 | 2.4% | 5,579 | 0.5% |
| Other | 4,642 | 0.2% | 1,455 | 0.3% |
| Larceny / Theft | 4,355 | 0.2% | 1,206 | 0.0% |
| Battery | 4,028 | 0.5% | 1,292 | 0.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 3,271 | 0.2% | 982 | 0.2% |
| DUI | 1,879 | 0.3% | 1,500 | 0.2% |
| Trespassing | 2,017 | 0.3% | 307 | 0.0% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should you hire a private attorney for Weapons Offense in Duval County?
In Duval County, private attorney clients have a 0.0% dismissal rate for Weapons Offense compared to 0.3% for public defender clients. This is a -0.3 percentage point difference based on 562 cases. However, correlation is not causation — private attorney clients may have different case characteristics.
What are the conviction rates for Weapons Offense in Duval County by counsel type?
The conviction rate for Weapons Offense in Duval County is 99.7% with a public defender and 98.5% with a private attorney. Conviction includes both guilty findings and adjudication withheld.
How does Duval County compare to statewide averages for Weapons Offense counsel outcomes?
Statewide, the dismissal rate is 1.7% for public defenders and 1.8% for private attorneys. Duval County's difference of -0.3 points compares to a statewide difference of 0.1 points.
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Weapons Offense in Duval County, Florida — Public Defender vs Private Attorney Outcomes (2025). Based on 562 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/counsel-outcomes/weapons-offense/duval
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 · 562 cases analyzed · Duval County · 2025 · Data last updated September 2026