J Mark Jackson

Mark Jackson was born and raised in Lake County, FL. He attended the University of Florida and earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Management specializing in Exercise and Sports Science. Mark went on to attend Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, FL and earned his Juris Doctorate.

Mr. Jackson began his legal career as an intern with the Office of the State Attorney in St. Augustine, FL. During his time with the State Attorney’s Office, Mark gained valuable knowledge on how the “other side” works and what goes into filing a case and prosecuting the accused.

In 2005, he accepted a position as an assistant public defender in Jacksonville, FL. During his time in Jacksonville, Mark quickly progressed through the ranks and handled serious crimes cases within his first year. After less than one year in misdemeanor court, conducting DUI trials, and handling many hundreds of cases, Mark moved on to defending serious felony charges. He was assigned to be the lead attorney in a high stakes Trafficking in Controlled Substance trial during his first week in circuit court. Jackson was later asked to take on a caseload in the Repeat Offender Court (ROC) division, handling habitual offender and career criminal cases exclusively.

After 5 years in Jacksonville, training under some of the Country’s premier defense attorneys, Mark decided to bring his legal expertise back to Lake County to serve the community he grew up in.

In 2009, Mr. Jackson joined the Lake County Public Defender’s Office. Within two years he was promoted to Chief Assistant Public Defender, managing and supervising the Lake County office. During his time as Chief Assistant, Mark worked closely with judges and leaders of the State Attorney’s Office in helping uphold an efficient and professional atmosphere, all while maintaining a full felony caseload. Over the last decade Mark has enjoyed many successes and has earned the respect of judges and the Office of the State Attorney. Mark held the Chief Assistant position for nearly a decade before making the decision to move into private practice.

Mark has handled thousands of criminal cases over the last 2 decades of practicing law. In February of 2020, Mark Jackson Defense Law, P.A. was formed. Mark is highly invested in his community and the people in it. Mark's mission is to be available 24/7 and deliver a top quality defense, all while providing personal attention to his clients.