Helping a Hollywood family understand the next step
When your child is accused of an offense, you want to know they are safe and when they can come home. You also need to understand the charge, the next hearing, and their choices. Miller & Jacobs helps Hollywood families work through each step while keeping the child's needs in view.
Call with your child's age, where they are now, and the latest notice. Tell us first if your child is detained or a hearing is near. We can gather the rest of the file after we address that urgent issue.
A free initial consultation can begin with the papers you already have.
Hollywood Families
Broward juvenile proceedings need their own review
Child-Centered Advice
Make room for the child's questions and understanding
Partner Led
Mark J. Miller or Rick S. Jacobs handles accepted matters
Clear Expectations
Know the proposed work and fee before hiring counsel
Start with safety, location and the next notice
Where your child is now
Find out which agency has your child and what it says will happen next. A Hollywood incident does not mean the child is at an adult jail or the closest courthouse. We need the actual custody details to review detention and release.
What the notice requires
Check the Broward juvenile notice for the court division, time, place, and attendance rules. Ask us about anything unclear before you travel. Not every Hollywood juvenile case goes to South Regional Courthouse.
Preparing for detention review
For a child in detention care, Florida law generally requires a hearing within 24 hours after custody begins. The court applies legal detention criteria. A parent's offer to supervise does not decide release by itself. Ask why detention is sought and what facts could support release.
Tell us who can supervise your child, where they can stay, and how they will get to school. Include medical or treatment needs. Be honest about limits. The plan must fit the court's rules and what your family can do.
The charge and prior history can affect detention. We review the actual case and assessment. A first case or strong family support does not guarantee release.
Check both locations. A court hearing and a visit to a detention facility may be in different places. Confirm the current address and instructions for each.
Give each child an individual defense review
A school incident or group chat may involve several children. We check what the State says your child did, knew, or intended. A school penalty or program offer should not replace a review of the evidence.
Save the full original messages and videos, including what came before and after the disputed act. Tell us how you got them. Do not delete embarrassing content or ask your child to change the record.
Being present is not the same as committing an act. A name in a group chat or a face on camera does not answer every legal question. We compare the State's claim with the evidence about your child.
Tell us how an interview happened, who was there, and what was explained. The child's age and understanding can matter. A parent's absence does not automatically make every statement unusable.
Who searched the phone, bag, or school item? What authority did they claim? The rules can differ by setting. We check for a valid challenge, but a concern about a search does not by itself end a case.
A judge, not a jury, decides a juvenile adjudicatory hearing. That is the hearing where the State must prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Your child cannot be forced to testify. These rights should be explained clearly before a plea decision.
Let your child ask the question in their own words
SUPPORT THE CHILD'S PARTICIPATION
Read the proposal as well as the allegation
Diversion may offer a way to resolve some cases, but not every child qualifies. Ask what your child must admit, finish, or pay. Find out how it affects the case and what happens if a term is missed. Get advice before agreeing.
School, treatment and program duties
Compare classes, service hours, school, transport, and treatment with your child's schedule. Raise conflicts early. A useful program may still need an approved change to work for your family.
Keep proof of each completed task. Ask who reports it and how the final result will be recorded. Finishing the last session does not by itself show that the case or record issue is closed.
The law and program rules decide who qualifies. Age or a clean record alone does not guarantee an offer. We can compare the written terms with a contested hearing and other available choices.
Before choosing a result, ask what proves identity, intent, and the act charged. A program may reduce some risks while adding duties. We explain that tradeoff. An offer is not proof of guilt.
Parents can gather papers and provide support. The child still needs to understand the plea, the rights given up, and any supervision that follows. Leave time for their questions before a decision.
Florida law allows some cases involving minors to go to adult court. We check your child's age, exact charge, and case status early. Being under 18 does not always keep a case in juvenile court.
Florida adult direct-file provisions
Hollywood felony-defense information
Help starts with the next known event
Call 954-465-8733 to discuss your child's situation. Do not send detailed child records through a general website message. We can explain how to share what we need to review the case.
Call 954-465-8733Ask About a Juvenile Case Consultation
The first consultation is free. Before hiring us, ask which court stages the fee covers and whether there may be investigation costs.
Bring what explains your family's immediate needs
Current notices: court and detention papers, police requests, school notices, and program offers.
Evidence: records you lawfully have, plus names of people or places with useful information.
Support: school and transport plans, medical needs, and the adult who can supervise.
Serving Hollywood from our Pompano Beach office: 1600 S. Federal Highway, Suite 1101, Pompano Beach, FL 33062.
Discuss how counsel will work with your family
Ask Mark J. Miller or Rick S. Jacobs how they will explain the case to your child and keep the family informed. Tell us about language, learning, or communication needs. Confirm what support can be arranged.
Partner
Mark J. Miller is a partner at Miller & Jacobs. His biography outlines his background. Use the consultation to discuss the work your child's case needs.
Partner
Rick S. Jacobs is a partner at Miller & Jacobs. Read his biography, then bring your questions about the charge and the next court step.
The questions extend beyond one hearing
School discipline, the juvenile case, and record relief are separate issues. Our Florida criminal-defense overview gives broader context. Your child's papers tell us what needs attention next.
Follow the assigned hearing notice, not the closest courthouse. Confirm the division, place, and attendance rules with your lawyer. If your child is detained, the facility visit and court hearing may be at different locations.
Gather papers, help with appointments, and allow time for questions. The lawyer should explain the charge, rights, and choices directly to your child. A parent's preference does not replace the child's legal rights or understanding.
Before sending a detailed account, ask your lawyer how it could affect the legal case. Do not ignore school deadlines or give false information. Save the notice so we can address both the school issue and the case.
No. Florida protects some juvenile records but also allows certain disclosures. Separate laws govern how long records are kept. Turning 18 does not erase every record. Check the charge, final result, and available record relief before answering a background question.
Keep proof of completion and confirm the final court action. Ask separately whether your child qualifies for record sealing or expungement. Finishing a program and clearing a record are different steps.
Send your lawyer the written term and proof of the conflict promptly. A change may need approval. Keep following the current rules while a change is requested. A conflict does not automatically excuse a missed task.
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