600 South Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Telephone: 954-828-4553 - Facsimile: 954-468-1550

The City Prosecutor's Office is responsible for the prosecution of all criminal violations of the City's code of ordinances, as well as a number of state misdemeanors and county ordinance violations. The number of cases presented to our office by the arresting agency determines our workload.  Therefore, close inter-agency coordination is required to ensure that proper arrests are being made.  When cases are presented to the City Prosecutor's Office for filing, each case is reviewed and a determination is made as to whether to prosecute the case.  There are generally four ways that a case, once filed, may be disposed of:  by plea agreement, nolle prossed, verdict at trial, or dismissal.  Other responsibilities of the City Prosecutor's Office include: 

• Review and make filing decisions on all municipal ordinance arrests. state misdemeanor and county ordinance violations presented to the office.
• Review case filing and intake from citizens and victims requesting municipal cases to be filed on alleged violations of the law not occurring in a police officer's presence.
• Represents the City at all first appearance hearings on municipal ordinance arrests.
• Represents the City  in all County Court arraignments on all City prosecutions.
• Represents the City at all calendar call hearings and plea negotiations.
• Trial attorney for all criminal prosecutions in County Court cases filed by the City.
• Represents the City on municipal/misdemeanor appeals and violation of probation hearings.
• Seeks to recover costs of prosecutions through jail-time sentences, fines, court costs, bond estreatures and community service work programs.   
• Assist in the confiscation of evidence and destruction of contraband.
• Recover restitution on behalf of victims in municipal prosecutions.
• Assisting in regulating and ensuring compliance in community service work programs.
• Represents the City at mental health court proceedings, misdemeanor drug court and veteran court proceedings.
• Supervise and assist legal interns as part of local law schools clinical programs.
• Assist in collection efforts to recoup Public Defender fees.
• Meet with witnesses, prepare for and represent the City on all prosecutions before the Nuisance Abatement Board.
• Files conflict counsel lien forms on City Public Defender cases.