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Broward County · 17th Judicial Circuit
A criminal charge in Fort Lauderdale can cost you your job, your license, and your record. Attorney Tyler Williams started his career inside the Broward County Public Defender’s Office, and he brings that experience to every case he takes.
If you or someone you love was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, the next few days matter more than most people realize. Decisions get made quickly: what you say to police, whether you post bond, whether you miss the 10-day window on a DUI license hearing. Those early choices shape the whole case.
Justice Beyond Law is based right here in Fort Lauderdale. Tyler Williams is a former Broward County Assistant Public Defender who handled hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases in the 17th Judicial Circuit, the same courts that will hear a Fort Lauderdale case. He knows the judges, the prosecutors, and how the State builds its cases here.
Most arrests inside city limits are made by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, headquartered on West Broward Boulevard. The Broward Sheriff's Office handles arrests at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and Florida Highway Patrol makes many of the stops on I-95 and I-595.
Fort Lauderdale cases do not go to a regional courthouse. Misdemeanors, criminal traffic charges such as no valid driver's license and driving while license suspended, and felonies from Fort Lauderdale PD are all heard at the Central Courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale, a short walk from the Main Jail. Arrests by BSO at the airport go there too.
Diversion programs may be an option depending on the charge and your record: Broward felony pretrial intervention (PTI), Broward misdemeanor diversion (MDP).
Fort Lauderdale is the one Broward city where there's no guessing about the courthouse. Misdemeanors, criminal traffic charges like NVDL and DWLS, and felonies from Fort Lauderdale PD all go to the main courthouse on SE 6th Street. So do arrests at the airport.
That's the building where I started my career. As an Assistant Public Defender in Broward, I was in those courtrooms every day, in front of the same judges and across from the same State Attorney's Office that will handle your case. Our Fort Lauderdale office is a few blocks away on SE 2nd Street, so if you have a hearing downtown we can meet before or after without you crossing town.
These are the cases we see most often out of Fort Lauderdale. Each page covers how the charge works in Broward County and how we approach the defense.
Charged with a DUI in South Florida? Attorney Tyler Williams challenges every stop, test, and procedure to protect your license and your future.
Fort Lauderdale DUI →Domestic violence charges carry immediate consequences — including a no-contact order and mandatory arrest. Attorney Tyler Williams fights to protect your rights, reputation, and family.
Fort Lauderdale Domestic Violence →From marijuana possession to trafficking charges across South Florida — attorney Tyler Williams examines every detail to reduce or dismiss the charge.
Fort Lauderdale Drug Crimes →Facing something else? See all practice areas, including battery, gun charges, theft, probation violations, warrants, and juvenile cases.
Our Fort Lauderdale office is at 300 SE 2nd Street, a few blocks from the courthouse and the Main Jail.
Tyler Williams started his career at the Broward County Public Defender's Office, 17th Judicial Circuit, where he represented hundreds of people charged with everything from misdemeanors to serious felonies. Before that he was a certified legal intern at the State Attorney's Office in West Palm Beach. He has seen how prosecutors build a case from the inside, and he uses that in your defense.
You work with him directly. There is no intake associate and no hand-off. He answers the phone, he goes to court, and he prepares every case as if it is going to trial, because that is what gets the State's attention.
The same day if you can. In Broward County, first appearance happens within about 24 hours of booking, and that hearing decides bond. If the charge is a DUI, you also have only 10 days to request a license hearing with the DHSMV. A lawyer can start working on both immediately.
Cases from Fort Lauderdale Police Department go to the Broward County Judicial Complex (Central Courthouse) in downtown Fort Lauderdale, whether the charge is a misdemeanor or a felony. Your paperwork will list the division and the judge, and we confirm it when we take the case.
Yes. Your first case strategy session is free and completely confidential, by phone, video, or in person at our Fort Lauderdale office. Consultations are available in English and Spanish.
Sometimes. Broward County runs a felony pretrial intervention program and a misdemeanor diversion program, and eligibility depends on the charge, your record, and the State’s position. We look at diversion in every case where it could apply, and we know what the State Attorney’s Office requires.
This page is general information about criminal cases in Broward County and is not legal advice for any specific situation. Court assignments and procedures can change; we confirm the details of your case when we speak.
Your first case strategy session is free and completely confidential. Attorney Tyler Williams answers personally, 24/7. Se habla español.