Lafayette County is located in the Florida Panhandle. With a population of just about 8,600 residents, the county is more rural. It is one of the smallest counties in Florida. The major county seat is Mayo. Other cities and towns include Airline, Alton, Cook’s Hammock, Day, Hatch Bend, and Midway. The Hal W. Adams Bridge built in 1947 across the Suwannee River 3 mi north of Mayo. It was Florida’s first suspension bridge. Parks in the county include Lafayette Blue Springs State Park and Troy Springs State Park, both accessible to the Suwannee River. The county is known for its fairs and festivals and rural activities that happen year round.
Lafayette County Judges
| Lafayette County Judges: | Last Name: |
| Judge Darren K. Jackson | ALL |
3rd Circuit Judges in Lafayette County
| 3rd Circuit Lafayette County Judges: | Last Name: |
| Judge Darren K. Jackson | ALL |
Common Crimes in Lafayette County, FL
Below is a list of the most common crimes people were arrested for in Lafayette County, in 2016. These statistics were received from the Uniform Crime Report provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
| Offenses: | Total Arrests: |
| Drugs | 18 |
| Larceny | 10 |
| Simple Assault | 11 |
Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office made the majority of the arrests for drugs, larceny and simple assault.
Total Arrests:
In 2015 Lafayette County reported there were 244 people arrested but in 2016 this number dropped to 199 people. 150 of the 199 arrests were made by Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office.
Specialty Courts:
Adult Drug Treatment Court Program of Lafayette County
Individuals that get arrested for drug related offenses that meet certain criteria may be admitted into the Adult Drug Treatment Court Program of Lafayette County. To be considered for admission into the program, a defendant must: be at least 16 years of age, be a resident of the Third Judicial Circuit of Florida, or otherwise accepted in accordance with conditions outlined in a drug court transfer agreement with another circuit, be free from any prior violent felony conviction, have a current substance abuse/dependence diagnosis, or a documented history of substance abuse or a dependence diagnosis and have a current qualifying felony or misdemeanor charge. Participants may be reprimanded or have sanctions imposed upon them for unsatisfactory performance, including incarceration, termination of the program and full prosecution for the underlying crime.
Lafayette County Mental Health Court
The Lafayette County Mental Health Court is a special part of the Lafayette County Court. It is a Court-supervised program for those arrested in Lafayette County who has a mental illness, who need treatment and other services, and who choose to participate in the mental health program instead of having their case precede through the regular court process. The goal of this program is to divert non-violent defendants with mental illness from the Lafayette County Jail and active criminal prosecution in the Lafayette County Court to appropriate community based treatment.
