Marion County has a population of just about 340,000 people. The most popular city located in Marion County is Ocala, Florida. Downtown Ocala is home to many historic homes that are preserved in Ocala’s large residential Historic District. Additionally, Ocala is the horse capital of the United States and has been one of the fastest growing Florida cities in recent years.
US 41 and Interstate 75, as well as other major roadways, cross through the county. The arresting agencies in the county are Marion County Police Department, Ocala Police Department, and Florida Highway Patrol.
Marion County Judges
| Marion County Judges: | Jurisdiction: |
| Judge Jim McCune | Week 1 |
| Judge Sarah Ritternoff Williams | Week 2 |
| Judge Robert E. Landt | Week 3 |
| Judge Thomas P. Thompson III | Week 4 |
A judge will be assigned based on the week of the arrest.
5th Circuit Judges in Marion County
| 5th Circuit Judges in Marion County: | Jurisdiction |
| Judge Robert W. Hodges | ¼ of the felonies |
| Judge Johnathon D. Ohlman | ¼ of the felonies |
| Judge Willard Pope | ¼ of the felonies |
| Judge Anthony M. Tatti | ¼ of the felonies |
The Circuit Court judges receive a random distribution of cases therefore you will not know your judge until your case is assigned to a specific judge. Once a judge is assigned, the same judge will remain on the case from start to finish.
Common Crimes in Marion County, FL
Below is a list of the most common crimes people were arrested for in Marion County, in 2015. These statistics were received from the Uniform Crime Report provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
| Offenses: | Total Arrests: | |
| Drugs | 1712 | |
| Larceny | 1609 | |
| Simple Assault | 1306 |
Marion County Sherriff’s Department and Ocala Police Department made the majority of the arrests for drugs, larceny and aggravated assault.
DUI’S:
In 2014 Marion County reported there were 890 people arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) but in 2015 this number dropped to 444 people. Additionally, drug arrests went down from 2,281 in 2014 to 1,712 in 2015.
Special Programs:
Veterans Treatment Court
Veterans Treatment Court is for Veterans with possible mental health or drug abuse issues. Veterans Court is a Court-supervised program for those arrested in Marion County who have a mental illness, substance abuse, or other mental health condition related to their military service, who need treatment and other services, and who choose to participate in the Marion County Veterans Treatment Court instead of having their case precede through the regular court process.
Adult Post-Adjudicatory Drug Court Expansion Program
The Marion County Adult Post-Adjudicatory Drug Court Expansion Program is a court supervised structured program consisting of both substance abuse treatment and case management supervision for non-violent prison bound offenders. This program includes frequent court appearances, random drug screens, substance abuse treatment while on a Department of Correction supervised probation. The target population for this program is non-violent, adult felony offenders with substance abuse problems, residing in Marion County who would otherwise go to prison.
Adult Drug Court Program
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. The Marion County Adult Drug Court Program is a court supervised structured program consisting of both comprehensive out-patient treatment and case management supervision for non-violent offenders. The program includes regular court appearances, random drug screens, group/individual substance abuse counseling and frequent Peer Support Meetings. The length of this program is normally 12 to 18 months. The following people will be eligible: any first time offender or any person previously convicted of not more than one non-violent misdemeanor, who is charged with a felony of the third degree, or second and third degree felonies involving purchase or possession of a controlled substance, solicitation for purchase of a controlled substance, or obtaining a prescription by fraud. Marion county also has a similar program for misdemeanor drug offenses.
DUI Court Program
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience The Marion County DUI court program is a partnership with the Salvation Army Corrections, West Central Florida Driving Improvement, Office of the State Attorney, and the Public Defender’s Office, and is presided over by Judge Sarah Ritterhoff Williams. DUI Court is structured to provide repeat DUI offenders with intense outpatient treatment while on supervised probation. Additionally, the offender’s compliance and progress will be monitored by the Court through regular court appearances before the Presiding Judge.
Mental Health Court
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. The Marion County Mental Health Court is a special part of the Marion County Court. It is a Court-supervised program for those arrested in Marion 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 Marion County Jail and active criminal prosecution in the Marion County Court to appropriate community based treatment.
