Highlands County, Florida

3,290 cases (2025) · Judicial Circuit 10

Updated September 2026 · 2025 data

Based on 3,290 criminal cases in Highlands County (2025), 79.8% resulted in a guilty finding and 13.6% had adjudication withheld. The dismissal rate is 2.6%. The average sentence for convicted defendants is 1 year, 10 months, with an average fine of $700.

3,290
Total Cases (2025)
79.8%
Guilty Rate
13.6%
Withheld Rate
2.6%
Dismissal Rate
▼ vs 4.3% statewide, 2025
1 year, 10 months
Avg Sentence

Charges in Highlands County

Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.

Traffic Offense 1.7% dismissed · 762 cases Drug Possession 0.7% dismissed · 572 cases Other 7.9% dismissed · 331 cases Larceny / Theft 1.6% dismissed · 256 cases Resisting Officer 2.5% dismissed · 204 cases Battery 3.3% dismissed · 246 cases Trespassing 3.0% dismissed · 135 cases Fraud 0.0% dismissed · 96 cases Sex Offense 15.8% dismissed · 57 cases Burglary 0.0% dismissed · 77 cases Criminal Mischief 5.0% dismissed · 60 cases Weapons Offense 0.0% dismissed · 65 cases Assault 3.4% dismissed · 59 cases Disorderly Conduct 4.5% dismissed · 110 cases (2023-2025) Forgery 0.0% dismissed · 104 cases (2023-2025) Child Abuse / Neglect 0.0% dismissed · 34 cases Hit and Run 0.0% dismissed · 42 cases Contempt of Court 0.0% dismissed · 37 cases DUI 1.1% dismissed · 88 cases (2023-2025) Intimidation / Threats 9.7% dismissed · 62 cases (2023-2025) Probation Violation 50.0% dismissed · 62 cases (2023-2025) Vehicle Theft 0.0% dismissed · 56 cases (2023-2025) Drug Trafficking 1.9% dismissed · 52 cases (2023-2025) Drug Sale 2.3% dismissed · 43 cases (2023-2025) Homicide 0.0% dismissed · 40 cases (2023-2025) Stalking 0.0% dismissed · 32 cases (2023-2025) Perjury 3.3% dismissed · 30 cases (2023-2025) Robbery 0.0% dismissed · 25 cases (2023-2025) Stolen Property 0.0% dismissed · 24 cases (2023-2025) Drug Manufacturing 0.0% dismissed · 17 cases (2023-2025) Kidnapping 0.0% dismissed · 10 cases (2023-2025)

Charges ranked by case volume in Highlands County; the rate shown is each charge's dismissal rate for the window marked. Click any charge for its full outcome breakdown — guilty and withheld rates, sentencing, and trends.

All charge types

Disposition Trends

Exhibit · Quarterly dispositions, all charges — Highlands County

1.5%
1.5%
2.1%
2.2%
1.6%
3.5%
6.4%
5.5%
2.6%
4.0%
2.5%
1.4%
Q1’23 Q2’23 Q3’23 Q4’23 Q1’24 Q2’24 Q3’24 Q4’24 Q1’25 Q2’25 Q3’25 Q4’25

Latest quarter2025-Q4 — 1.4% of 802 cases dismissed.

Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts across all charge types filed in Highlands County.

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · Highlands County · all charges — FloridaCourtFile.com

Counsel Analysis

3,491
Public Defender
88.0% guilty · 1.7% dismissed
1,269
Self or Unrepresented
33.7% guilty · 5.9% dismissed
707
Private Attorney
74.0% guilty · 0.7% dismissed
81
Conflict Counsel
88.9% guilty · 2.5% dismissed

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Cite this page

FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Highlands County, Florida Criminal Court Outcomes (2025). Based on 3,290 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/counties/highlands

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 3,290 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026