Broward County | Felony Defense
A felony accusation can affect decisions you make today. Miller & Jacobs helps you understand the filed charge, protect useful evidence, and prepare for the next hearing. Start with your papers and the concern that cannot wait.
Facing a felony charge or an investigation? Call 954-465-8733. Tell us whether you are in custody, have a hearing scheduled, or have been asked to speak with investigators. Our Pompano Beach office serves people facing felony cases throughout Broward County.
Review the filed count, not just the booking label
Understand the proof and the decisions ahead
Know the lawyer responsible for your defense
Local representation from our Pompano Beach office
The charge, the evidence, and your next decision
Three Parts of a Useful Case Review
Identify what police say you did, the proof they have, and the next court decision. A booking label may leave out key facts. A useful defense review links the filed charge to the records and what you need now.
Read Florida’s Felony Penalty LawKeep the Case Moving Safely
Keep every notice and order, even when you believe the accusation is wrong. Tell your lawyer about a date you cannot attend, a restriction that affects work, or a new address. Ask how to address the problem rather than assuming a phone call or pending negotiation changes the court’s instructions.
Countywide Coordination
Broward’s Circuit Criminal division maintains felony case records. The investigating agency, a laboratory, or a private business may hold evidence that is not in the docket. Our Pompano Beach felony page explains early case review, while our Fort Lauderdale felony guide focuses on evaluating an offer. This county page connects those decisions across the full case. For additional local context, see our Hollywood felony defense guide.
Find the Complete Record
List the records that exist, the records still missing, and who may hold them. The goal is to identify evidence that could change a factual conclusion or the next legal decision.
Compare the arrest affidavit with the filed information or indictment. Check each count, statute number, alleged date, and person named. Changes in the charge deserve a fresh review of the defense and potential consequences.
Identify the agency and report number. Reports, interviews, body-camera footage, identification procedures, and search records may address different parts of the allegation. Note gaps without assuming that a missing item never existed.
Ask what was collected, how it was identified, and which tests were performed. Photographs, property records, and laboratory material should be evaluated in light of the specific charge rather than treated as conclusive by their labels.
Preserve relevant messages, account records, receipts, and original recordings you lawfully possess. Identify who controlled a device or account. A username, selected screenshot, or shared address may leave questions about context and attribution.
Bring the release order, bond papers, and any restrictions. Mention other cases or supervision requirements. An issue in one proceeding may need attention even when a separate charge has not yet been resolved.
List witnesses and what they actually saw or heard. Tell your lawyer how to locate them. Do not pressure anyone to change an account, coordinate stories, or ignore a no-contact restriction to gather information.
Preserve context, not just a favorable clip. Keep original files and the surrounding conversation or recording. Explain why an item matters. Your lawyer can decide how to get and present it lawfully.
Understand Sentencing Exposure
Florida’s general maximum terms are five years for a third-degree felony, fifteen for a second-degree felony, and thirty for a first-degree felony. Some first-degree offenses permit life imprisonment, and life and capital felonies have separate rules. The offense statute, sentencing calculation, and any enhancement must be checked before discussing a likely outcome.
Read Florida’s Sentencing Scoresheet LawOffense and Degree
The prosecution’s theory may depend on value, injury, possession, participation, or another specific fact. Identify what raises or changes the charge and what evidence supports that fact. Several counts should not be discussed as though they were one.
Sentencing Calculation
A Criminal Punishment Code scoresheet can account for the charged offenses, prior record, injury, and other factors. Ask your lawyer to explain the entries and identify any disputed information. A number on a form should be traceable to the record.
Special Rules
Some cases involve an alleged weapon, a prior conviction, or another circumstance with a separate sentencing rule. Ask which provision is being invoked and why. The general maximum for the degree does not replace that case-specific review.
Life Beyond Court
Work, professional licensing, immigration, housing, and firearm concerns can change what you need to understand before a decision. Identify the actual requirement or application involved. Do not assume that a proposed withhold or probation term answers every question.
Make the Next Decision With Advice
Bring the charge, the deadline, and your questions
Call 954-465-8733You do not need to decide how to defend a felony case before calling. Tell us what has happened so far and what is being asked of you now. We can discuss the records needed for a focused review and the next step toward representation.
Request a Free ConsultationServing Broward From Pompano Beach
1600 S. Federal Highway, Suite 1101
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
Test the Prosecution’s Theory
Our Broward County criminal-defense hub explains the wider range of charges and early concerns. Felony preparation goes further into the proof behind each count. The strength of the case must be assessed before weighing a motion, a proposed resolution, or trial.
Broward Criminal-Defense OverviewIdentity and Participation
Compare what police say you did with recordings, location records, access, and witness accounts. Separate what a person saw or heard from what they later guessed or concluded.
Knowledge and Intent
Explain what you knew at the time and point to records that support your account. If people read the facts in different ways, your lawyer should look into why. That alone does not mean the charge will fail.
Possession and Access
When an allegation concerns an item found in a vehicle, home, or shared space, explain who used that location and when. Ownership, access, handling, and the surrounding evidence may raise different questions. Preserve the facts without moving or altering evidence.
Witness Reliability
Review what a witness could see or hear and meaningful differences between accounts. A contradiction deserves attention when it affects a disputed point, but must be assessed alongside the other proof.
How Evidence Was Obtained
Tell your lawyer about the stop, search, seizure, identification, or interview. Keep any warrant or consent document. A motion requires a factual and legal basis; dissatisfaction with an investigation alone does not establish that evidence will be excluded.
The Remaining Choices
Ask what can be challenged, what is still unclear, and what choices you have. Find out what further work could change that view. Do not rely on a rushed guess about the outcome.
The Person Behind the File
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A defense plan should explain the next step clearly enough that you can take part in decisions about your own future.
Tell us about the practical problems the case creates: a shift you cannot miss, a dependent who needs you, a license renewal, or travel restrictions. These details do not erase the charge. They help your lawyer understand what needs attention while the legal work proceeds.
A Clear Plan for the Case
The plan should connect court obligations, investigation, and decisions. Ask when a document or proposed term is unclear, and keep sharing new notices as they arrive.
01
Identify the filed charge, custody status, assigned division, and next required appearance. Check whether a new notice changes an earlier date or instruction. Keep the current papers together.
02
Identify recordings, messages, records, and witnesses right away. Give specific locations and useful time windows. Keep originals intact and ask your lawyer how missing evidence should be requested.
03
Compare the prosecution’s records with your account and other sources. Make a list of missing items and disputed facts. The review should focus on what each item can actually establish.
04
Consider whether the facts support a motion about evidence, procedure, or another issue. Understand the purpose of the motion and what a favorable ruling would change.
05
Review any offer alongside the proof, sentencing exposure, and available alternatives. Ask about eligibility before relying on diversion. Prepare for trial where appropriate rather than treating an offer as the only possible route.
06
Confirm the charge, judgment, sentence, supervision conditions, and financial obligations. Discuss consequences outside criminal court before deciding. Record relief is a separate question, not an automatic part of resolving the case.
Straightforward Communication
Before hiring the firm, confirm the responsible attorney, fees, and included proceedings. Identify a related appeal, forfeiture matter, or separate case rather than assuming it is covered.
Charging documents and court obligations
Evidence requests and preservation needs
Investigation and legal-motion assessment
Sentencing exposure and resolution review
Hearing preparation and trial responsibilities
Agree on how to share documents and reach the firm. Keep contact details current. Report a new deadline, arrest, or interview request right away instead of waiting for the next scheduled update.
Meet the Attorneys
Partner | Trial Attorney
Review Partner Mark J. Miller’s professional background. Ask how the firm would investigate the disputed issues in your felony case and help you prepare for the next decision.
Mark Miller's Professional Background
Partner | Trial Attorney
Learn about Partner Rick S. Jacobs. Discuss the court responsibilities, preparation, and communication involved in a Broward County felony defense.
Rick Jacobs's Professional BackgroundPrepare for a Useful Consultation
Bring what you have and identify missing records during the conversation. Avoid publicly discussing the case. Share the full account, including difficult facts, privately with counsel.
Collect the arrest affidavit, filed information if available, and all hearing notices. Include case numbers and the agency involved. Do not discard an older notice simply because a new one arrived.
Bring bond papers, travel limits, supervision instructions, and no-contact orders. Identify any restriction you do not understand or cannot follow without a court-approved change.
Preserve messages, photographs, recordings, receipts, and other relevant material. Keep originals and note where they came from. Explain any gaps, edits already made, or files you no longer control.
Write down the sequence while it is fresh. Separate events you saw from things others told you. Mark estimates as estimates and identify the source of dates or times.
List people with firsthand information and places that may have recordings or documents. Give contact details you lawfully have. Let your lawyer plan any necessary outreach.
Mention pending cases, prior judgments, licensing requirements, and immigration concerns. Bring relevant orders or written requirements. Accurate background helps avoid decisions based on an incomplete picture.
Questions Before the Next Hearing
These answers explain common starting points. A case review should apply them to your actual charge, orders, and evidence.
A felony charge does not by itself decide the outcome or sentence. The exact offense, evidence, history, sentencing rules, and resolution matter. Ask your lawyer to explain the actual exposure rather than treating a statutory maximum as a prediction.
They serve different purposes and may not match. The arrest paperwork records the basis for the arrest; the prosecution’s filed charging document identifies the counts being pursued. Bring both so your lawyer can review the current case.
Discuss the request with a criminal-defense lawyer before giving an interview about an accusation. Do not lie, destroy evidence, or interfere with an investigation. Tell counsel who contacted you, what they requested, and any deadline.
No. A withhold is not a dismissal, and Florida restricts its availability in felony cases. Its effect on licensing, immigration, background questions, and record relief must be considered separately before accepting a resolution.
Broward’s Circuit Criminal division keeps felony court records, but other agencies and private businesses may hold evidence. Give your lawyer the case and incident numbers, the investigating agency, and any known recording or document sources.
Tell your lawyer promptly and provide the notice. The clerk cannot simply change a felony hearing date for you. Confirm any new instruction through the court process, and do not assume that asking for a change excuses an appearance.
Not every first case qualifies for diversion. The charge, history, and applicable program requirements need review. Ask about eligibility and terms, and distinguish completion of a program from any later record-sealing or expungement process.
Call with the charge, hearing date, and immediate concern. Bring current orders and available records. Explain whether investigators have requested an interview or an offer has a deadline so the consultation can focus on the next decision.
