Sebastian Cotrone

After reflecting on the outcome of my case and my experience with Sebastian Cotrone's representation, I can’t help but feel that the result would have been the same had I gone with a public defender, given my indigent status. When I retained him, he assured me that my record could be sealed after ...the case concluded. However, I was surprised when his assistant Julie informed me he was requesting an additional $1,000 for this service, on top of the $3,500 I already paid. Following that conversation, I contacted the Broward County Clerk of Courts Office and received straightforward instructions on how to handle the process myself. The costs are minimal, to the point of being negligible. Here's what I learned: I need to get fingerprinted at an authorized location, costing about $15-$20. I’ll then visit the Clerk of Courts Office (North Wing, Room 1882) to obtain a certified copy of the final disposition. A $75 money order, made payable to the FDLE, must be included with the completed application, which I can download from the county clerk’s website (BrowardSAO.com). After obtaining a certificate of authenticity to expunge and seal from the West Wing (Room 8130), I’ll include that along with a copy of my probation completion report. These documents will be mailed to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Attn: Seal/Expunge Section, at their Tallahassee address. In total, the process will cost me around $100, including fingerprinting, the application fee, and postage—significantly less than the $1,000 you asked for. Looking back, I regret retaining his services. I was innocent, yet he seemed uninterested in exploring a solid case strategy. Instead, he quickly struck a deal with the state’s attorney. A public defender could have achieved the same outcome without costing me $3,500. Live and learn. Howard Glantz