Data-Driven Defense: What Nearly 10,000 Court Filings Reveal About New Year's Week

Most people see a traffic ticket or a criminal charge as an isolated event. But for a defense attorney who handles hundreds of cases, patterns emerge. Understanding those patterns isn't a side project—it's a byproduct of doing this work well.

This week, I analyzed every court filing in Orange County from December 29, 2025 through January 4, 2026. Nearly 10,000 charges. 4,653 unique cases. 889 different officers. What the data reveals isn't just interesting—it's useful context for anyone facing charges in Central Florida.

Why Defense Attorneys Analyze Court Data

When you're building a defense, you need to understand the system. Not just the law—the system. Which officers are active? What charges are prosecutors pursuing? What outcomes are courts reaching?

This isn't theoretical. If I know that a particular officer writes 50% of the DUI citations in a specific area, that tells me something about specialization, training, and potentially, patterns I can examine. If I see that 91% of traffic dispositions are resolved via clerk withhold or civil penalty, that shapes how I advise clients about their options.

New Year's Week: The Numbers

Here's what the week of December 29, 2025 – January 4, 2026 looked like in Orange County courts:

Cases Filed by Type

The breakdown by case type shows what most people suspect: traffic infractions dominate. But the criminal numbers tell a more nuanced story.

Nearly 1,000 criminal charges (CF, MM, CT combined) in a single week. That's 1,000 people whose lives just got significantly more complicated—and most of them during a holiday.

Top Criminal Charges

Looking at criminal cases only (felonies, misdemeanors, and criminal traffic), here's what officers were filing:

The domestic violence numbers are consistent with what we typically see around holidays. Families together, alcohol flowing, stress rising—it's a predictable pattern, and one that results in mandatory arrests under Florida law.

Traffic Infractions: The Camera Effect

Traffic infractions tell a different story—one dominated by automated enforcement:

Camera citations (tolls + red lights) account for 69% of all traffic infractions. That's nearly 2,700 citations where no officer observed the alleged violation—and where there are often defenses available that people don't realize.

Dispositions: How Cases Resolved

Looking at cases that reached disposition this week:

Notice that 91% of dispositions were clerk withholds or civil penalty payments—essentially traffic cases resolved without a fight. But the 162 dismissals and 113 adjudications withheld represent people whose outcomes improved, often because they had representation.

What This Means for Your Case

Data doesn't win cases—legal strategy does. But data informs strategy. When I know that:

• 69% of traffic citations are camera-based (and often challengeable)
• Domestic violence charges spike during holidays (and prosecutors expect these cases)
• License suspension cases come in both "with knowledge" and "without knowledge" variants (with very different consequences)
• Most people simply pay their tickets without realizing alternatives exist

...I can advise clients more effectively about their options and likely outcomes.