Key Facts: Adam Sacks is a Jacksonville family law attorney with 25+ years of experience, a former Assistant State Attorney, and a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. He has tried 30+ criminal and civil cases and holds a degree in psychology from UMass. FL Bar #248370 — active since 2000. Duval County courts processed 14,320 family law cases in FY 2024–25. Call (904) 396-5557 for a free consultation.
Jacksonville Family Law Attorney • FL Bar #248370
25+ years of experience • Former Assistant State Attorney • 30+ trials
Martindale-Hubbell • Avvo Profile • FL Supreme Court Certified Mediator
(904) 396-5557 — Free Consultation
About Adam Sacks
I started my legal career prosecuting criminal cases for the State of Florida as an Assistant State Attorney in Seminole County, where I tried cases before judges and juries under intense pressure. That courtroom experience — standing before a judge, examining witnesses, cross-examining hostile testimony, and arguing contested motions — shaped everything about how I practice family law today. Most divorce and custody attorneys spend their entire career in civil practice and have never prosecuted a single case. I spent years in the trenches as a prosecutor first, trying more than 30 criminal and civil cases to verdict, and that background gives my clients something most family law attorneys simply cannot offer: real trial confidence. When opposing counsel knows you have prosecutorial training and genuine courtroom experience spanning 25+ years, it changes every aspect of how they approach your case — from initial settlement negotiations to final hearing preparation. FL Bar #248370, active since 2000.
I’ve been helping Jacksonville families through divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, and alimony cases for over 25 years. In that time, I’ve handled hundreds of contested and uncontested divorces, custody disputes, paternity actions, and domestic violence injunctions. I’ve taken more than 30 cases to trial. But I’ve also resolved countless others through mediation and negotiation — because I’m a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator in addition to being a litigator.
That dual perspective matters. I know when to push for a settlement that protects your interests, and I know when negotiation isn’t working and it’s time to fight in court. Either way, I set realistic expectations, tell you the truth about where your case stands, and then work relentlessly to get the best possible outcome.
Education & Credentials
I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts in 1994, where I developed a deep understanding of human behavior, emotional dynamics, and conflict resolution that has proven invaluable in my family law practice over the past 25+ years. That psychology background allows me to see things in high-conflict custody disputes and contested divorces that a purely legal education would not prepare you for, including recognizing manipulation tactics, understanding how parental alienation develops, and navigating the emotional volatility that drives so many family court proceedings in Duval County and throughout Northeast Florida.
After UMass, I earned a Certified Paralegal credential from Northeastern University in Boston, then moved to Michigan for law school. I received my Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School (now Western Michigan University Cooley Law School) in 1999, where I received a Book Award for the top grade in my class and was named to the Honor Roll multiple times. I was also selected for the school’s Elder Law Clinic based on my academic performance in wills, trusts, and estates, where I represented elderly clients in court against eviction proceedings.
Bar Admissions
- Florida Bar — admitted 2000, active and in good standing (Bar #248370)
Certifications
- Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator — authorized to mediate contested family law cases before they proceed to trial
From Prosecutor to Family Law Attorney
My career path gave me a perspective that most family law attorneys in Jacksonville simply do not have, because it began not in civil practice but in criminal prosecution. Before I ever handled a divorce or custody case, I spent years as an Assistant State Attorney for the State of Florida in Sanford, Seminole County, where I was responsible for prosecuting criminal cases from arraignment through trial. That prosecutorial training taught me how to build an evidence-based case under strict procedural requirements, cross-examine witnesses effectively, present complex arguments to skeptical judges, and perform under the pressure of a courtroom setting where the stakes are high and the margin for error is narrow. When I transitioned to family law over 25 years ago, I brought every one of those skills with me, and they translate directly to contested divorce, custody, and alimony proceedings in Duval County and throughout Northeast Florida.
Before I even took the Bar Exam, the Office of the State Attorney in Sanford, Seminole County offered me a position as a Certified Legal Intern. After passing the Bar on my first attempt, I was hired full-time as an Assistant State Attorney. In that role, I prosecuted criminal cases for the State of Florida — conducting trials, cross-examining witnesses, and building cases under intense pressure.
That prosecutorial training gave me courtroom skills that translate directly to family law. When opposing counsel in a custody case knows you’ve tried 30+ cases, they approach your case differently. They know you’re prepared to go to trial — and that changes the entire dynamic of settlement negotiations.
After my time with the State, I entered private practice and focused on criminal defense before discovering my true calling in family law. The combination of my psychology degree and courtroom experience made family law a natural fit. Understanding people, managing emotional situations, fighting for children’s best interests, and helping families through some of their hardest days — that’s what I was built to do.
In 2006, I founded my own practice. In 2007, my wife Melanie and I established the Law Offices of Sacks & Sacks, P.A. — a family-run firm where she handles bankruptcy and I handle family law. We’ve been serving Jacksonville families together ever since.
Practice Areas
Divorce & Family Law
- Divorce — uncontested, contested, high-net-worth, same-sex, and military divorce
- Child Custody & Timesharing — parental responsibility, time-sharing schedules, modifications, and enforcement
- Child Support — establishment, modification, enforcement, and DOR actions
- Alimony & Spousal Support — bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, durational alimony under Florida’s 2023 reform
- Adoption — stepparent, relative, agency, private, and international adoption
- Paternity — establishment, disestablishment, DNA testing, fathers’ rights
- Mediation — court-ordered and voluntary family mediation as a certified mediator
- Injunctions & Restraining Orders — domestic violence injunctions, dating violence, stalking
- Emergency Motions — temporary custody, temporary support, emergency relief
Criminal Defense
In addition to family law, I continue to handle select criminal defense matters. My background as a former prosecutor gives me a unique advantage — I know how the State builds its case because I used to be the one building it.
Florida Certified Family Mediator
In addition to practicing law as a litigator with more than 30 trials to my name, I became a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator — a credential that gives me a dual perspective few Jacksonville family law attorneys possess. Under Florida law (F.S. § 61.183), most contested family law cases must go through mediation before they can proceed to trial or final hearing, making mediation a critical stage in virtually every disputed divorce, custody, and alimony proceeding. My certification means I understand the mediation process from both sides of the table — as an advocate fighting for my client’s interests and as a neutral facilitator helping parties find common ground. That dual role allows me to negotiate more effectively, identify creative settlement structures, and recognize when mediation is genuinely productive versus when it is time to prepare for trial.
As a mediator, I strive to be neutral and help both sides find common ground. My psychology background is especially valuable here — understanding what drives each party’s position allows me to help couples reach agreements that work for everyone, especially the children. For my Sacks & Sacks family law clients interested in mediation, I combine compassion with practical problem-solving to move cases toward resolution.
Why Choose Me
When Jacksonville families face divorce, custody disputes, or other family law matters, they deserve an attorney whose experience, credentials, and courtroom preparation set him apart from the field. With 25+ years of practice, a background as a former Assistant State Attorney in Seminole County, a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, a Juris Doctor from WMU Cooley Law School where I received a Book Award for the highest grade in my class, and certification as a Florida Supreme Court Family Mediator, I bring a combination of trial confidence, psychological insight, and negotiation skill that few family law attorneys in Northeast Florida can match. FL Bar #248370, active since 2000. Here is what that means for your case:
Courtroom confidence. I’ve tried 30+ criminal and civil cases. When opposing counsel knows you’re prepared to go to trial, settlement negotiations change. You get taken more seriously.
Prosecutorial edge. Most family law attorneys have never prosecuted a case. I spent years as an Assistant State Attorney. That experience shows in how I prepare cases, examine witnesses, and argue motions.
Psychology training. My B.A. in Psychology isn’t just a line on a resume — it’s foundational to how I handle custody disputes, high-conflict divorces, and emotional negotiations. I read situations differently because of it.
Dual-role capability. I’m both a litigator and a certified mediator. I can fight in court or facilitate resolution at the table — whichever strategy serves you best.
Personal attention. When you come to our office, you sit down with me — not a paralegal, not a junior associate. I handle your case personally because at Sacks & Sacks, we treat clients like people, never just another case.
Professional Memberships
- The Florida Bar — active member since 2000
- Jacksonville Bar Association
About Our Firm
The Law Offices of Sacks & Sacks, P.A. is a family-run boutique law firm that Melanie and I established in Jacksonville in 2007. With over 50 years of combined legal experience, we offer the depth of knowledge you’d expect from a large firm with the personal attention only a small, family-operated practice can provide.
I handle all family law and criminal defense matters. Melanie handles all bankruptcy matters — she’s filed over 6,354 cases and is one of Jacksonville’s most experienced bankruptcy attorneys. This division allows each of us to focus on what we do best, and our clients benefit from that specialization.
We’re located at 1646 Emerson St., Suite B, Jacksonville, FL 32207.
Schedule Your Free Consultation
Whether you are going through a contested or uncontested divorce, dealing with a child custody or time-sharing dispute, need to establish or disestablish paternity, are pursuing a stepparent or relative adoption, require a domestic violence injunction, or have any other family law matter in Jacksonville or the surrounding Duval County area, call me directly at (904) 396-5557. I will personally review your situation, give you an honest assessment of your case, explain every option available to you under current Florida law, and tell you exactly where you stand and what realistic outcomes look like based on 25+ years of courtroom experience. There is no pressure, no runaround, and no hand-off to a paralegal or junior associate. You sit down with me and get straight answers from a former state prosecutor and Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator who has tried more than 30 cases to verdict.
Call (904) 396-5557 for a free family law consultation. I’ll personally review your situation and give you a straight answer about your case.
