When your child is accused
A call from school or the police can leave you unsure what happened or what to do. You may be worried about getting your child home and what this means for their future.
Miller & Jacobs defends young people facing juvenile charges in Broward County. We challenge the evidence and prepare for detention hearings. We explain the choices before an interview, hearing, or plea.
Free consultation. Tell us about the next interview or court date.
Mark J. Miller or Rick S. Jacobs
On South Federal Highway
Discuss what needs attention
Understand the scope before hiring
Start here.
Choose what you need help with. Each link takes you to that section.
Before the next conversation
A requested interview
Speak with a defense lawyer before your child answers questions about the accusation. We check who wants to talk, whether your child must attend, and how to protect their rights. If they have already spoken, we review what was said and how they were questioned. When a sexual allegation is involved, review the age-specific questions on our sex crimes defense page alongside the juvenile process.
A school incident
Keep the notice, messages, and names of anyone involved. A school discipline process and a juvenile case can proceed separately. We examine how the incident was reported and how a proposed statement or agreement could affect the defense.
A child in custody
A child held in juvenile detention must generally have a hearing before a judge within 24 hours of being taken into custody.
We check the charge, the risk assessment, and the legal grounds for holding your child. We challenge errors and put together a release plan. This can include a responsible adult, school arrangements, and any needed supervision.
The judge decides whether your child must stay in detention. Some serious charges have stricter release rules. A hearing does not guarantee release.
Broward family resource: confirm the facility before traveling. DJJ lists current contact and visitation information for the Broward Juvenile Detention Center in Fort Lauderdale.
The defense starts with the details
We defend juvenile theft, drug, assault, and weapons allegations. A report may group several young people together. We examine what the State can prove about your child’s own conduct, knowledge, and intent.
We seek the full available footage from schools, stores, phones, or body cameras before it is lost. We compare it with witness accounts and check for unclear identification or missing context. Without video, we still test what witnesses could see and whether their accounts hold up.
We review the questions, warnings, length of questioning, and any pressure or promises. Your child’s age and understanding matter. If a statement was obtained unlawfully, we ask the court to exclude it.
A shared car, bag, or group chat needs a closer look. We examine access, ownership, messages, and witness identification to test claims of possession or participation. Being nearby is not, by itself, proof that your child committed the offense.
We review the grounds for the stop, any claimed consent, and the scope of the search. School searches and police searches can involve different standards. Where the facts support a challenge, we seek to keep unlawfully obtained evidence out of the case.
If the allegation is contested in juvenile court, the State must prove it beyond a reasonable doubt at a hearing before a judge.
For your child. For your family.
OUR APPROACH AT MILLER & JACOBS
Think beyond the next court date
We compare the offer with the evidence and available defenses. Then we explain how its terms could affect school, life at home, and your child’s record. The goal is a sound decision that your child understands.
When diversion may fit
Diversion may let your child complete a program instead of facing prosecution. We check whether a prearrest citation or another program is available. A first charge does not guarantee a place.
Before your child accepts, we check whether they must admit responsibility. We review the tasks, deadlines, and any restitution, which is payment for a loss. We explain how the charge would be handled if they finish or fail to complete the program.
Florida’s prearrest citation program does not cover offenses involving firearm use or possession. Other options need a separate review.
We ask the prosecutor to reduce or drop a charge when the evidence supports that request. If the case is contested, we prepare court challenges, questions for witnesses, and evidence for the hearing.
We explain which rights your child would give up and what the proposed court order would require. That includes whether they could remain at home, what probation would involve, any restitution owed, and the possible effect on their record.
Some cases can, depending on age, the alleged offense, and other legal criteria. We assess that risk early and present available reasons to keep the case in juvenile court. Florida law limits when that choice is available.
You do not need every answer to call.
Start with your child’s age, the allegation, and any interview or hearing date. We can discuss what needs attention and what information would help us assess the case.
Call 954-465-8733Request a free consultation online
The consultation is free. Before you hire us, we explain the representation, fee, and any separate costs.
If you have them, keep these together
Case details: a notice, case number, officer’s name, or where your child is being held.
Evidence to keep: messages, account details, and where video may exist. Do not delete or alter anything.
Your child’s needs: their school schedule, medicines, and any help they need with learning or daily tasks.
The people handling the defense
Mr. Miller or Mr. Jacobs handles your child’s matter. Staff, investigators, and experts may assist when needed. We explain the work ahead, answer your questions about the process, and help your child understand the decisions they need to make.
Partner
Mark’s legal career includes work as an Assistant State Attorney and more than 70 jury trials to verdict.
Partner
Rick served as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade. His legal career includes more than 160 jury trials to verdict.
Pompano Beach office: 1600 S Federal Highway, Suite 1101, Pompano Beach, FL 33062.
Questions parents ask
A release decision, the outcome of the charge, and access to the record are separate issues. We help you understand each one.
Juvenile court uses a detention hearing to decide release, rather than the usual adult cash-bond system. We review why your child is being held and what would support release or less restrictive conditions. If the case is in adult court, we review bond and any legal limits on release.
That does not end the defense. Tell us who questioned your child, where it happened, whether it was recorded, and whether you were contacted. We check whether their words were recorded accurately and whether there are grounds to challenge the statement or ask the court to exclude it.
It may. Florida requires school notification for certain allegations, including conduct that would be a felony if committed by an adult and crimes of violence. Do not assume the matter stays private because your child is under 18. Keep school notices so we can review them alongside the juvenile case.
No. Turning 18 does not automatically erase a Florida juvenile record. Access and retention depend on the offense, case history, and outcome. Some felony-related information is public. We check whether records can be sealed or cleared and what your child may need to disclose on a job or school application.
Finishing a program does not automatically clear the record. A separate process called diversion expunction may clear eligible arrest records. It requires an application and the prosecutor’s certification that the legal requirements are met. We check which arrest records qualify. This process applies to records held outside the court system. Some records remain available to criminal justice agencies.
We check the court order, the alleged violation, and records showing compliance. We assess whether your child could be held in detention and challenge disputed evidence. If a requirement was missed, we explain the circumstances and seek a response that accounts for them.
