A felony accusation can put a job application, a family routine, and your freedom in question at the same time. You need more than a list of penalties. You need to know what has actually been filed, what the evidence supports, and which decision comes next.
Miller & Jacobs represents people facing Miami felony cases from its Pompano Beach office. Mark J. Miller or Rick S. Jacobs reviews the case with you, including the choices you may have before agreeing to a resolution.
Both partners are former prosecutors. The firm reports 230+ combined career jury trials to verdict. An accepted matter is handled by Mr. Miller or Mr. Jacobs.
If you have a hearing, offer deadline, or release restriction, mention it when you call. Continue complying with every current court order.
Felony Case Review
Understand the pending count, court assignment, and next required step.
Both Partners
Mark Miller and Rick Jacobs bring prosecution and defense experience.
Combined Jury Trials
Firm-reported trials to verdict across both partners' legal careers.
Handles Your Matter
Know which partner is responsible for an accepted case.
On this page
An arrest, a filed charge, and a proposed sentence are different stages. Identifying the stage prevents you from making a permanent decision on incomplete information.
Our Miami criminal defense overview also explains the broader steps after an arrest, including release conditions and finding the right case record.
A prosecutor may file a different charge from the one recorded at arrest. Obtain the current charging document and identify the statute, offense degree, and allegation in each count.
A witness account, a disputed search, or an unfinished evidence review may affect the next choice. Ask what counsel needs before evaluating an offer, a motion, or trial preparation.
An arraignment, release appointment, or written offer may have its own date. Tell counsel about notices you cannot locate and conflicts you cannot resolve yourself. Do not assume a conversation changes a deadline.
You may be asking whether you can keep working, care for your children, or finish school while the case is pending. Those questions belong in the defense conversation.
Explain what would make a proposed outcome difficult to live with. A lawyer cannot assess a decision fully without understanding its practical effect on you.
A short description such as “probation” leaves important questions unanswered. Review the written proposal and ask how its terms interact, rather than evaluating each promise in isolation.
Confirm what is being admitted, which counts would be dismissed or changed, and whether the agreement addresses other pending matters. A statement about one count may not resolve the others.
A conviction and a withhold of adjudication are different outcomes, but neither should be confused with dismissal. Florida limits felony withholds. Ask what judgment would be entered and what remains publicly recorded.
Review supervision, treatment, testing, restitution, travel, and reporting together. Tell counsel about transport, work shifts, and costs before conditions are imposed, not after a missed requirement.
Immigration, professional licensing, firearm restrictions, and an existing probation case can require additional advice. Identify those issues before entering a plea, even if the proposed sentence does not include prison.
The offense and prior record affect eligibility, and record sealing has separate requirements. Obtain advice about the specific consequence that concerns you instead of relying on an informal description of a “clean record.”
An initial consultation can begin with the charge, the date, and the question you need answered. The first conversation is free and confidential.
You can begin by phone before arranging an office meeting. Miller & Jacobs serves people with Miami felony matters from its Pompano Beach headquarters. Explain any custody issue or approaching hearing when you contact us.
1600 S Federal Highway, Suite 1101
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
Mark J. Miller and Rick S. Jacobs are former prosecutors whose combined careers include more than 230 firm-reported jury trials to verdict. That experience informs preparation; it does not predict an individual result.
Prosecution and Defense Experience
Combined Jury Trials
Both Admitted to The Florida Bar
Mark's background includes criminal prosecution and insurance defense, with more than 70 reported career jury trials to verdict. His work involves evaluating disputed facts and preparing the issues a court must decide.
Read Mark J. Miller's Bio →
Rick served as a Miami-Dade Assistant State Attorney. His career includes more than 160 reported jury trials to verdict and work assessing criminal allegations from both prosecution and defense perspectives.
Read Rick S. Jacobs's Bio →An accepted matter is handled by Mr. Miller or Mr. Jacobs, with appropriate staff and professional support. Ask about the written scope and fee before representation begins. Trial figures are firm-reported; past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
There is no single defense to a “felony.” The legal elements, available evidence, and way that evidence was obtained determine which issues deserve investigation.
A controlled-substance allegation raises additional questions about possession, testing, and weight. Our Miami drug crime defense information addresses those distinctions.
Map each count to the facts the State must establish. Then separate what a witness directly observed from an inference or an untested assertion in the report.
An injury, property value, prior conviction, or alleged weapon may change the charge or sentence. The defense needs the supporting records, not simply the prosecutor's characterization.
A selected message or a few seconds of video may not tell the complete sequence. Keep the original file and identify its source, date, and any surrounding material that changes its meaning.
Access logs, work records, receipts, camera footage, and people who were present can help test an account. Give counsel specific locations and names without asking anyone to revise or coordinate a story.
The grounds for a search, a recorded interview, or an identification procedure may support a motion. The facts and governing law must justify the challenge; a perceived irregularity does not automatically exclude evidence.
A useful case assessment explains the prosecution's strongest points, not just possible defenses. Ask what additional work could change the assessment and what uncertainty may remain through trial.
Miami-Dade's Circuit Criminal operation processes felony matters. A police agency number is not the same as a court case number, and a general courthouse address does not identify your assigned hearing.
Match the name and case number to the filed information or indictment. Check whether the State has added, changed, or declined a count since the arrest paperwork was prepared.
Arraignment concerns the formal charge and plea. Counsel can assess whether a written plea or waiver is appropriate. Unless the court or counsel confirms otherwise, do not treat your presence as optional.
Reports alone may omit the recordings, exhibits, or testing needed to evaluate a defense. Counsel can identify discovery still outstanding and follow up on material gaps.
A motion, further negotiation, or trial requires different preparation. Ask what each route is intended to accomplish and how it fits the evidence, lawful sentencing options, and your priorities.
Keep the signed judgment, sentence, and supervision documents. Verify reporting dates and other obligations against the written order, especially when the oral discussion was difficult to follow.
The Miami-Dade Clerk lists Circuit Criminal services at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building, 1351 NW 12th Street, Miami. Service-counter locations are not a substitute for the courtroom or remote-access instructions on your own notice.
The charge's maximum, a sentencing scoresheet, and an offered resolution are not interchangeable. A meaningful explanation shows how each applies to the counts you actually face.
Florida generally authorizes up to 5 years for a third-degree felony, 15 for a second-degree felony, and 30 for a first-degree felony. Certain first-degree offenses permit life; life and capital felonies follow separate provisions.
The Criminal Punishment Code scores offenses, prior record, and other factors. Obtain the actual scoresheet and check its entries. Depending on the score and applicable law, it can establish a lowest permissible prison sentence.
A mandatory minimum or enhancement can change the range. Multiple counts may create additional questions about concurrent and consecutive sentences. Those issues need more than a general penalty chart.
A negotiated outcome must fit the case and lawful sentencing authority. First-offender status does not guarantee diversion, probation, or a withhold. Ask which terms are agreed and which remain for the judge.
The Florida penalty provisions and sentencing scoresheet statute address different parts of this analysis.
A complete file is not a prerequisite for a consultation. A clear description of what you have, what is missing, and the earliest deadline is more useful than postponing the call.
Keep the complete terms and any response deadline. Identify who communicated the proposal and whether it is written, oral, or still being discussed.
Provide the case number and every page of the conditions. Flag restrictions involving travel, contact, reporting, work, or your current address.
Identify relevant recordings, messages, and witnesses privately. Do not alter originals or approach a person you are prohibited from contacting to obtain a statement.
Prior convictions, existing supervision, and another pending accusation can affect the analysis. Bring records rather than relying only on your memory of how an earlier case ended.
Explain caregiving, employment, immigration, education, or licensing issues before counsel evaluates a resolution. Ask which concern needs a separate specialist's advice.
These answers provide general information. Advice about your choices depends on the charge, evidence, record, and current court orders.
No. A withhold does not erase the case or turn the outcome into a dismissal. Florida also restricts when felony adjudication may be withheld. The final judgment and separate eligibility rules must be reviewed before discussing sealing or a particular background check.
The maximum describes legal sentencing exposure, while an offer proposes specific terms for resolving the case. A scoresheet or mandatory minimum may add another limit. Ask counsel to compare those figures alongside the evidence and any changes to the charges.
Ask to review the listed offenses, prior record, and other scored factors against the supporting documents. An incorrect entry can matter. Counsel should explain the calculation, any disputed points, and how it interacts with offense-specific sentencing requirements.
A first arrest is a fact to consider, not an admission ticket. Miami-Dade has diversion and treatment options, but eligibility, required approvals, and completion terms vary. Counsel should identify the actual program and assess its obligations before you rely on it.
Tell counsel promptly and send the complete notice. A work shift or travel booking does not excuse a required appearance. Any requested change must be addressed through the assigned court, and the existing date remains in place until a change is confirmed.
Raise the problem before agreeing to the terms. Explain the specific obstacle, such as treatment access, reporting hours, transport, or payment. Counsel can assess lawful alternatives; after an order is entered, changing your routine does not change the court's requirements.
Yes. The first consultation is free and confidential, and you can start with the paperwork already available. Discuss what the firm would handle, how criminal-defense fees are determined, and which additional proceedings would need a separate agreement.
