A domestic violence accusation can leave people with sharply different accounts of the same event. Your defense needs more than a quick explanation or a private agreement to move on. Miller & Jacobs helps you preserve the facts, understand the restrictions in place, and respond through the proper legal process.
Read the complete release order before communicating or returning somewhere. Tell us about any urgent need involving housing, work, or children so we can discuss a lawful way to address it.
5401 South Kirkman Road, Suite 660
Mark J. Miller and Rick S. Jacobs
Combined Jury Trials to Verdict Across Their Careers
Your Case Handled by Mr. Miller or Mr. Jacobs
You may want to clear things up immediately. First, separate what your lawyer needs to know from what you are permitted to say or do. Our Orlando criminal defense practice can help organize the accusation and any related proceedings.
Describe the incident privately to your lawyer, including facts you think may be unfavorable. Avoid posting your account online or asking friends to argue your position with the other person.
Keep the full exchange, dates, attachments, and original files in your possession. Do not delete a difficult message or edit a recording to make your account appear stronger.
Gather the release conditions and any civil injunction, including amended orders. A summary from a family member may leave out a person, location, or form of communication covered by the order.
If you need medication, clothing, tools for work, or a child-related arrangement, tell counsel exactly what is needed. Do not assume ownership of a home or an invitation authorizes entry or contact.
Bring every notice, including papers with a different case number. Ask which proceeding the lawyer will handle and whether a request in one case leaves another order unchanged.
When an accusation involves someone close to you, it can be difficult to know whom to trust with the details. You deserve room to describe the whole situation, including the parts that are hard to explain, and advice that takes both the legal case and daily life seriously.
The words “domestic violence” do not replace the elements of the charged offense. Counsel needs to identify the allegation, the qualifying relationship, and the restrictions actually imposed. Each can affect the work your defense requires.
Battery, assault, stalking, and other allegations involve different proof. A defense review may address intent, identity, consent where legally relevant, or a justified use of force. No single discrepancy guarantees that a case will end.
A civil injunction may exist alongside the prosecution. The Orange County Clerk’s injunction information explains that process. Give the lawyer the petition, temporary order, and hearing notice; a result in the criminal case does not automatically dispose of the civil matter.
Call the Orlando office with the current orders and your most urgent concern. We can discuss representation and the lawful request, evidence review, or hearing preparation the situation may require.
The first statement, later explanation, and physical evidence should be examined together. Counsel may seek police recordings and other relevant material through lawful procedures. A missing injury, a changed account, or a delay in reporting needs context; none should be treated as a shortcut to a conclusion.
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Mark J. Miller or Rick S. Jacobs takes responsibility for an accepted criminal matter. Discuss who will appear in court, how sensitive documents should be sent, and whether a separate injunction or family-law issue falls within the engagement. Clear responsibility matters when several proceedings affect the same household.
Partner | Former Assistant State Attorney
Mark J. Miller is a former assistant state attorney admitted to The Florida Bar in 1995. His experience includes more than 70 jury trials to verdict across his legal career. Read his biography and ask about his approach to your matter.
Read Mark’s Bio →
Partner | Former Assistant State Attorney
Rick S. Jacobs is a former assistant state attorney admitted to The Florida Bar in 1995. His experience includes more than 160 jury trials to verdict across his legal career. His biography provides background for the conversation about your defense.
Read Rick’s Bio →Ask about each proceeding before hiring the firm. A criminal defense fee does not necessarily include a civil injunction hearing, family litigation, or an appeal. The agreement should identify the services, costs, and communication arrangements.
The written orders and charging documents control the advice you need. Bring them even if someone has told you the matter will be dropped.
Not automatically. The State makes charging and prosecution decisions. A reporting person’s wishes may be considered, but other evidence may still support a case. Do not ask anyone to change an account or sign a document; discuss any new information with counsel.
It can be. A no-contact order may prohibit indirect communication through other people as well as calls, texts, and online messages. Read the complete order with your lawyer before asking someone to deliver a message.
Depending on the order and circumstances, counsel can ask the court about an authorized arrangement. Section 903.047 allows a court-designated third person for certain child-related contact. Do not select your own informal workaround or assume another family order overrides the criminal condition.
No. The elements of the actual charge matter, and some battery allegations involve intentional unwanted touching rather than a visible injury. Counsel can evaluate the conduct alleged, the available proof, and any applicable defense.
Yes. Accurate, complete information helps counsel assess risk and prepare. Keep the original material and explain why you believe it matters. A lawyer’s advice is less useful when important facts emerge only later.
Call Miller & Jacobs at 407-465-8733. The Orlando office is at 5401 S. Kirkman Road, Suite 660, Orlando, FL 32819. Tell the office about a pending hearing and any limits on how it may safely return your call.
