Highlands County, Florida
Judicial Circuit 10
10,080
Total Cases
78.6%
Guilty Rate
15.0%
Withheld Rate
2.8%
Dismissal Rate
1 year, 9 months
Avg Sentence
Based on 10,080 criminal cases in Highlands County (2023-2025), 78.6% resulted in a guilty finding and 15.0% had adjudication withheld. The dismissal rate is 2.8%. The average sentence for convicted defendants is 1 year, 9 months, with an average fine of $829.61.
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Charges in Highlands County
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 2,376 | 58.4% | 2.1% | 4.0 months |
| Drug Possession | 1,896 | 91.5% | 0.5% | 1 year, 2 months |
| Other | 934 | 68.0% | 10.0% | 2.4 years |
| Larceny / Theft | 792 | 87.2% | 1.4% | 11.2 months |
| Resisting Officer | 688 | 88.4% | 2.8% | 10.8 months |
| Battery | 647 | 82.7% | 2.8% | 1 year, 2 months |
| Trespassing | 403 | 84.4% | 4.0% | 2.9 months |
| Fraud | 300 | 86.3% | 0.3% | 1 year, 8 months |
| Sex Offense | 269 | 86.2% | 3.7% | 9.6 years |
| Burglary | 237 | 82.3% | 0.0% | 3.5 years |
| Criminal Mischief | 174 | 86.8% | 2.9% | 11.5 months |
| Weapons Offense | 166 | 89.8% | 0.0% | 3.9 years |
| Assault | 155 | 76.1% | 3.9% | 1 year, 6 months |
| Disorderly Conduct | 111 | 80.2% | 4.5% | 1.6 months |
| Forgery | 104 | 90.4% | 0.0% | 1 year, 7 months |
| Child Abuse / Neglect | 99 | 75.8% | 2.0% | 3.2 years |
| Hit and Run | 93 | 77.4% | 1.1% | 3.4 months |
| DUI | 88 | 98.9% | 1.1% | 3.9 months |
| Contempt of Court | 87 | 96.6% | 1.1% | 5.2 months |
| Intimidation / Threats | 62 | 75.8% | 9.7% | 6.5 years |
| Probation Violation | 59 | 47.5% | 52.5% | 3.8 months |
| Vehicle Theft | 55 | 94.5% | 0.0% | 2.3 years |
| Drug Trafficking | 52 | 96.2% | 1.9% | 9.1 years |
| Drug Sale | 43 | 86.0% | 2.3% | 4.0 years |
| Homicide | 40 | 92.5% | 0.0% | 18.4 years |
| Stalking | 32 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 1 year, 9 months |
| Perjury | 29 | 82.8% | 3.4% | 3.1 years |
| Robbery | 25 | 88.0% | 0.0% | 8.0 years |
| Stolen Property | 24 | 83.3% | 0.0% | 3.3 years |
| Drug Manufacturing | 17 | 100.0% | 0.0% | 6.7 years |
| Kidnapping | 10 | 70.0% | 0.0% | 5.3 years |
Counsel Analysis
3,501
Public Defender
86.9% guilty · 1.7% dismissed
1,217
Self or Unrepresented
33.5% guilty · 5.3% dismissed
704
Private Attorney
73.6% guilty · 0.7% dismissed
80
Conflict Counsel
87.5% guilty · 2.5% dismissed
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Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 10,080 cases · 2023-2025 · Data last updated March 2026