How many Menacing and Criminal Contempt cases are filed in New York?

From 2019-2024, 30,693 Menacing cases and 84,989 Criminal Contempt cases were recorded across New York counties. Visit NewYorkCourtFile.com for county-specific data.

Menacing vs Criminal Contempt: 15% Dismissal Gap — NY

Q: What is the difference between Menacing and Criminal Contempt in New York?

Based on 115,682 DCJS pretrial release records from 2019-2024, Menacing has a 73.3% average dismissal rate while Criminal Contempt has a 58.1% average dismissal rate across New York counties.

Statistics from DCJS pretrial release data for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. These are different charges with different legal elements — consult a licensed New York attorney for guidance on your specific situation.

According to 115,682 DCJS pretrial release records from 2019–2024, Menacing cases across 41 New York counties have an average dismissal rate of 73.3% and conviction rate of 26.4%, while Criminal Contempt cases across 60 counties have an average dismissal rate of 58.1% and conviction rate of 41.6%.

Menacing

30,693

Total Cases

41

Counties

Dismissal Rate 73.3%

Conviction Rate 26.4%

vs

Criminal Contempt

84,989

Total Cases

60

Counties

Dismissal Rate 58.1%

Conviction Rate 41.6%

Top Counties Comparison

How the highest-volume counties handle each charge.

Menacing — Top Counties

County	Cases	Dismissal	Conviction
Kings	6,069	93.1%	6.9%
Queens	4,761	83.1%	16.9%
Bronx	4,093	84.6%	15.2%
New York	3,745	78.8%	21.0%
Suffolk	1,461	54.1%	45.6%

Criminal Contempt — Top Counties

County	Cases	Dismissal	Conviction
Kings	12,853	85.7%	14.2%
Queens	11,605	68.5%	31.4%
Suffolk	8,502	50.3%	49.3%
New York	6,283	71.9%	28.0%
Bronx	5,510	81.5%	18.4%

Source: DCJS Pretrial Release Data, 2019–2024 — NewYorkCourtFile.com

What the Data Shows

Menacing and Criminal Contempt are distinct charges with different legal elements, but defendants sometimes face questions about how they compare. Based on 115,682 New York DCJS Pretrial Release Data records from 2019–2024:

Volume: Criminal Contempt is more commonly charged (84,989 cases) than Menacing (30,693 cases)
Dismissals: Menacing has a higher average dismissal rate (73.3%) compared to Criminal Contempt (58.1%)
Variation: Both charges show significant variation in outcomes across New York counties — the county where a case is heard matters

These statistics reflect aggregate patterns across New York counties and do not predict individual case outcomes. The legal elements, potential consequences, and defense considerations differ between these charges. Consult a licensed New York attorney for guidance on your specific situation.

Common Questions

Menacing and Criminal Contempt are separate charges with different legal definitions and elements. Our data shows they have different outcome patterns: Menacing has a 73.3% average dismissal rate while Criminal Contempt has a 58.1% average dismissal rate. For information about the legal distinctions, consult a licensed New York attorney or the New York Penal Law.

Menacing has a higher average dismissal rate (73.3%) compared to Criminal Contempt (58.1%), based on 2019–2024 New York DCJS data. However, dismissal rates vary significantly by county. Visit the individual charge pages for county-specific data.

From 2019–2024, 30,693 Menacing cases were recorded across 41 counties, and 84,989 Criminal Contempt cases were recorded across 60 counties. View the full data on our Menacing and Criminal Contempt pages.