Broward County courts
Criminal cases in Broward County are heard in the 17th Judicial Circuit.
| Courthouse | Address | What it hears | Distance from Adam’s office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Courthouse (Broward County Judicial Complex) | 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale | Felonies (North Building), misdemeanors and criminal traffic including DUI, first appearance | About 0.1 mile |
| South Regional Courthouse | 3550 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood | Misdemeanors and traffic, county court criminal judges | About 8 miles |
| West Regional Courthouse | 100 N Pine Island Rd, Plantation | Misdemeanors and traffic, county court criminal judges | About 8 miles |
| North Regional Courthouse | 1600 W Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach | Misdemeanors and traffic, county court criminal judges | About 14 miles |
Distances are straight-line. Felony cases are handled at the Central Courthouse; the regional courthouses do not hear felonies.
Which courthouse hears your case
Broward’s chief judge assigns misdemeanor cases to a courthouse by the agency that made the arrest, and sends every DUI case to the Central Courthouse whoever made the arrest.
| Misdemeanors filed at | Arresting agency |
|---|---|
| North Regional (Deerfield Beach) | Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Hillsboro Beach and Margate police; BSO in Deerfield Beach and Parkland |
| West Regional (Plantation) | Davie, Plantation and Sunrise police; BSO in Tamarac and Weston |
| South Regional (Hollywood) | Hollywood, Miramar and Pembroke Pines police |
| Central (Fort Lauderdale) | Fort Lauderdale and Lighthouse Point police; BSO in Dania Beach, Pompano Beach, the airport and Port Everglades |
| Central (Fort Lauderdale) | Every DUI case in the county |
Civil traffic tickets follow a different list, so a ticket and a criminal charge from the same stop can land in different buildings. Your paperwork names the courthouse.
Who prosecutes and who arrests
- The Broward State Attorney’s Office prosecutes state crimes in the county, from its main office in the Central Courthouse complex and satellite offices at each regional courthouse.
- City police departments patrol cities such as Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Plantation and others.
- The Broward Sheriff’s Office patrols unincorporated Broward and the cities that contract with it, including Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Dania Beach, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Parkland, Tamarac, Cooper City, West Park and Weston. BSO also runs the county jails and its own DUI Unit.
- The Florida Highway Patrol covers Broward County through Troop L’s Davie District.
Broward DUI cases
A DUI in Broward County is two cases. The criminal charge is filed at the Central Courthouse, across the street from Adam’s office, and heard by a county court criminal judge. The license suspension goes to the DHSMV Bureau of Administrative Reviews, whose Broward office is at 3718-3 W. Oakland Park Blvd. in Lauderdale Lakes. You have 10 days to act on the license. BSO’s DUI Unit includes a DUI Task Force that runs checkpoints and a Breath Alcohol Testing program using the Intoxilyzer 8000, including a mobile testing truck. See DUI defense and Florida DUI penalties.
Diversion and specialty courts in Broward
Not every case has to end in a conviction. The Broward State Attorney’s Office lists programs that include a Misdemeanor Diversion Program for first-time offenders, Felony Pre-Trial Intervention for qualifying third-degree felonies, and the License To Drive Diversion Program, among others. The 17th Circuit runs problem-solving courts including Misdemeanor and Felony Drug Court, Mental Health Court and Veterans Court. Broward’s drug court, created in 1991, is one of the oldest in the country. Eligibility depends on the charge and your record, and Adam can tell you whether a program fits your case.
Practice areas
Broward cities
Adam handles cases throughout Broward. Each city page covers who makes arrests there and where its cases are heard.
- Coconut Creek
- Coral Springs
- Dania Beach
- Davie
- Deerfield Beach
- Fort Lauderdale
- Hillsboro Beach
- Hollywood
- Lighthouse Point
- Margate
- Miramar
- Parkland
- Pembroke Pines
- Plantation
- Pompano Beach
- Sunrise
- Tamarac
- Weston
Call (954) 294-9372 any time.