A plea offer can sound simple: accept probation and go home. The terms may reach much further. Before you decide, you need to know what the State can prove, what the court could impose, and what the proposed outcome would mean for your life.
Miller & Jacobs helps people facing felony charges in Fort Lauderdale make those choices with a clear view of the case. Start with the charge, the next court date, or the offer you have been given.
Former prosecutors. 230+ combined jury trials. An accepted matter is handled by Mr. Miller or Mr. Jacobs.
Keep following your release terms while you seek advice. A pending offer does not cancel a court date or change a no-contact order.
Felony Case Review
Review the filed charge and the next required appearance.
Both Partners
Mark Miller and Rick Jacobs have worked on the prosecution side.
Combined Jury Trials
Firm-reported trials to verdict across both partners' careers.
Handles Your Matter
Speak about the decisions that affect your defense.
The same proposed sentence can mean different things in different cases. A useful review starts with three questions.
If you are still sorting out the type of charge, our Fort Lauderdale criminal defense overview explains the broader first steps.
Ask for the filed charge and statute number. An arrest label may differ from the charge the prosecutor later files. Each count needs its own review.
A lawyer can assess further investigation, motions, negotiation, and trial. Diversion may be worth checking, but eligibility and approval depend on the case and the program.
Bring any offer deadline, hearing notice, or release restriction. Ask counsel to confirm what requires your presence and when a decision is due.
You should leave a case review knowing what the next decision is, what information is missing, and why it matters.
That includes room to explain the job, family, or licensing concern that a court form may never mention.
The headline sentence is only part of an offer. Ask counsel to explain these terms together, using the actual proposed agreement.
Confirm the offense, degree, and counts that would remain. A change in the charge may affect both the sentence and what appears in the final record.
A withhold of adjudication is not a dismissal. Florida restricts when a judge may withhold a felony adjudication. It does not answer every background-check or licensing question.
Check any jail term, probation length, reporting, treatment, testing, travel limits, payments, and restitution. Discuss whether you can meet each requirement.
Tell counsel about immigration status, a professional license, school, work, or firearm concerns before a plea. A criminal disposition can have effects beyond the sentence.
The charge and your history affect eligibility. Record sealing and immigration consequences require separate review; a withhold does not settle either issue.
You do not need to decode a plea form alone. Start with a free, confidential consultation.
An offer should be considered alongside the evidence and the risks of litigation. The review changes with the offense. These questions help identify what still needs work.
For allegations involving controlled substances, see our Fort Lauderdale drug crime defense page.
The State must prove the required parts of the charged offense. Identify which facts are disputed and which records support or weaken them.
Value, injury, prior convictions, or other facts can affect the charge. Review the evidence for the fact that raises the degree or adds a count.
A short video or a few messages may leave out context. Preserve originals and identify missing recordings, dates, participants, and records.
Witnesses, receipts, access records, and nearby cameras may help test the account. Tell counsel where to look before records are lost through routine deletion.
A search, interview, or identification may raise a legal issue. A possible challenge needs facts and law behind it; it does not guarantee that evidence will be excluded.
Discuss the strongest evidence against you as well as the defense. A sound decision includes the limits of the available proof and what further work could resolve.
Fort Lauderdale is home to Broward's Central Courthouse. Your filed case and court notices control the schedule, judge, and place of appearance.
Use the case number to check filed charges and pending dates. The State Attorney makes the filing decision; the Clerk maintains the court record.
Arraignment addresses the formal charge and plea. Counsel can confirm whether a written plea and waiver are available. Do not assume you may skip the hearing.
The defense reviews the evidence supplied in the case and investigates relevant gaps. New records may change how an earlier offer should be viewed.
Discuss motions, trial preparation, and any proposed resolution. Ask what is known, what remains disputed, and what each available path would require.
After a disposition, keep the judgment, sentence, and supervision instructions. Confirm every reporting date and condition instead of relying on a verbal summary.
The Broward Clerk's Felony Division serves the Central Courthouse at 201 S.E. 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale. Its service counter is not necessarily your courtroom. Check the notice and confirm attendance requirements with counsel.
A maximum penalty, a scoresheet minimum, and a plea offer describe different things. None alone tells you what the final sentence will be.
Third-degree felonies generally carry up to 5 years, second-degree up to 15, and first-degree up to 30. Some first-degree offenses allow life. Life and capital felonies have separate rules.
Florida's Criminal Punishment Code assigns points for the offenses, prior record, and other factors. Review the actual score for errors. It can set a minimum prison term unless a lawful departure applies.
Mandatory minimums and sentence enhancements can change the analysis. Multiple counts also matter. Ask whether terms could run together or one after another.
Evidence, lawful sentencing options, and the terms accepted by the court affect the outcome. A first arrest does not promise probation, diversion, or a withhold.
Read the general Florida penalty statute and Criminal Punishment Code scoresheet law with the specific charge in view.
Miller & Jacobs serves people facing Fort Lauderdale felony charges from its Pompano Beach headquarters. Bring the documents you have; you can flag missing records during the consultation.
1600 S Federal Highway, Suite 1101
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
Mark J. Miller and Rick S. Jacobs are former prosecutors. The firm reports more than 230 combined jury trials to verdict across their careers.
Prior Prosecution Experience
Combined Jury Trials
Both Admitted to The Florida Bar
Mark's background includes prosecution and insurance defense. The firm reports more than 70 jury trials to verdict in his career.
Read Mark J. Miller's Bio →
Rick previously served as a Miami-Dade Assistant State Attorney. The firm reports more than 160 jury trials to verdict in his career.
Read Rick S. Jacobs's Bio →Mr. Miller or Mr. Jacobs handles an accepted matter, with support from staff and other professionals when needed. Trial counts are firm-reported. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Begin with what you know. You do not need a complete file, and you should not delay asking about an approaching deadline.
Save the offer, plea form, or message that states its terms. Include any deadline and who sent it.
Bring your case number, upcoming court notices, and bond or supervision papers. Point out any term you do not understand.
List missing records and disputed facts for counsel. Keep original messages and files intact; do not contact a protected person to collect evidence.
Tell counsel about prior cases, probation, other pending charges, and current court orders. Those details may affect the choices in this case.
Explain work hours, transport, treatment needs, caregiving, licenses, and immigration concerns. Ask how proposed terms would fit those obligations.
These are general explanations. Advice about an offer requires the filed charge, record, evidence, and proposed terms.
No. A withhold of adjudication is not a dismissal, and it does not automatically clear the court record. Florida limits its use in felony cases. Ask counsel to assess eligibility and the separate rules for sealing, licensing, and other consequences.
An offer is one proposed way to resolve the case. The statutory maximum and any applicable sentencing minimum serve different purposes. Review the evidence, scoresheet, charge, and full terms before comparing the offer with the risks of further litigation.
The charge, prior record, injury points, or other entries may need checking. Ask your lawyer to explain the score and identify any dispute. A prosecutor prepares the scoresheet for court use, and the court must approve it.
Broward has diversion programs, but a first arrest alone does not establish eligibility. The offense, history, facts, and program rules matter. Required approval and successful completion must be assessed before relying on diversion as an option.
A work conflict does not excuse an absence. Contact your attorney promptly with the notice and the reason. The Broward Clerk cannot move a court date for you; any change must go through the assigned court.
Raise that concern before a plea or sentencing decision. Counsel needs to know about treatment access, costs, reporting, travel, and work limits. Once the court imposes conditions, do not change or ignore them on your own.
Yes. Bring what you have and explain the next deadline or concern. The initial consultation is free and confidential. If the firm accepts the case, the scope of work and criminal-defense fee should be set out in a written agreement.
