Florida Bar Certified Criminal Appellate Lawyer
Michael Ufferman is board certified in criminal appellate law and considered an expert in criminal appeals.
Florida Juvenile Gets Second Chance
September 13, 2024 Taylor Kurtz Firm News, Legal News Social Share
June 28, 2024: “This week was one of the most rewarding weeks of my career. One of the reasons I do what I do is because I believe in second chances.
14 years ago, the Supreme Court recognized that juveniles who commit serious crimes should be given the opportunity to demonstrate rehabilitation – meaning that hundreds of juveniles in Florida who had been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole would now be given a chance to have life outside of prison walls.
In 2015, when I was president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL), one of the priorities of my term was to provide training and support to equip lawyers who would be representing these juveniles at their resentencing and review hearings. One of my president’s columns in the FACDL magazine (the Florida Defender) discussed this priority and encouraged our members to consider taking on one of these cases on a pro bono basis – suggesting that “at the end of the process, you will have gained more than you gave.” And then in an effort to lead by example, I explained that I had just accepted a pro bono juvenile resentencing case. My client in that case was Michael Rosado. In 1999, Michael was sentenced to life imprisonment for a murder committed when he was just 16 years old.
In 2017, Michael and I had our first court proceeding. After hearing extensive evidence about Michael’s transformation in prison over the previous 18 years and the remorse Michael has shown for his actions, the judge reduced Michael’s life sentence to 40 years.
On Wednesday, Michael and I had another hearing. This time, the judge heard from Michael’s fellow inmates, prison ministry volunteers and numerous prison employees – all of whom explained the amazing human being Michael has become. For many years, Michael has been the leader of the faith-based program in his prison, encouraging other inmates to accept responsibility for their actions and refrain from violent and illegal conduct. In recent months, Michael has been asked by prison employees to speak to teenagers at the detention facility, sharing his story in an effort to make a difference in their lives. The judge heard that Michael is selfless – putting other’s needs ahead of his own – and that Michael is kind, smart, and a hard worker. 
At the conclusion of the hearing on Wednesday, the judge called the attorneys into his chambers and he told me that he was making the finding that Michael is rehabilitated – and therefore the judge would be releasing Michael from prison.
The first picture is the moment I was able to tell Michael that he was going home that afternoon (he cried in my arms). The second picture is my legal assistant Audra Bryan with Michael after he was released from the jail. Wednesday night was the first night Michael spent outside of prison walls in almost 26 years – the first time he had freedom since he was 16 years old!
I should note that during both the 2017 hearing and the hearing this week, we had the Dream Team – I had amazing co-counsel, wonderful support staff, and the best group of experts in the country (i.e., mental health professionals, a mitigation specialist, and prison consultants)!! And I would not have been able to do any of this without the support of my incredible wife (Ida Conde Ufferman).
9 years after I wrote my column, I can confirm that I did, in fact, gain so much more than I gave. This is why I do what I do – Michael has earned his second chance at life (and I am 100% confident that he will be extremely successful). I am so proud of you Michael!!”
