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Criminal Defense

Top-Ranked Criminal Defense Lawyers in Fort Pierce, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.26 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked criminal defense lawyers in Fort Pierce, Florida are Karen Jean Tufte “Karen” (LexRank 84.00), Jeffrey Huntley Garland (84.00) and Michael Jeffrey Kessler (84.00).

This ranking lists 6 criminal defense lawyers in Fort Pierce, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 6 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 13 to 45 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
6
Fully verified
6 of 6

The ranking

Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank

  1. No change

    Karen Jean Tufte “Karen”

    Independent practice · Fort Pierce, FL

    Verified
    • 32 years experience
    • Criminal Defense
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
  2. No change

    Jeffrey Huntley Garland

    Independent practice · Fort Pierce, FL

    Verified
    • 45 years experience
    • Criminal Defense
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
  3. No change

    Michael Jeffrey Kessler

    Independent practice · Fort Pierce, FL

    Verified
    • 40 years experience
    • Criminal Defense
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
  4. No change

    Jonathan Jay Kirschner “Jay Kirschner”

    Independent practice · Fort Pierce, FL

    Verified
    • 42 years experience
    • Criminal Defense
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
  5. No change

    Brian Hobbs Mallonee

    Independent practice · Fort Pierce, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Criminal Defense
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
  6. No change

    Whitney Lynn Duteau

    Independent practice · Fort Pierce, FL

    Verified
    • 13 years experience
    • Criminal Defense
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 69.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (15.6/30). 14.40 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 15.6/30 (ranking avg 27.6)

    14.40 points behind #5 (Brian Hobbs Mallonee): Experience −14.4.

Data sources behind the scores

Every score on this page is calculated from facts backed by these sources. Each profile shows which source supports which fact and when it was last checked.

  • floridabar.org · Official / regulatory · 6 profile pages67 facts for 6 lawyers

Criminal Defense market in Fort Pierce

LexRanked tracks 6 lawyers in criminal defense law in Fort Pierce, Florida. 6 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 16, 2026.

Lawyers
6
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
6 of 6
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
36 years6 lawyers

Calculated by LexRanked from its own records on ; data verified . Ratings and review counts count only when backed by a source; figures from fewer than three profiles are withheld. All lawyers in Fort Pierce

What sets these Fort Pierce lawyers apart

All 6 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law by The Florida Bar, which only about one in twenty Florida lawyers achieves in any field. Florida Bar board certification requires at least five years of practice, substantial involvement in the field, peer review by other lawyers and judges, continuing legal education and a written exam, and it must be renewed every five years. The figures below come from each lawyer's Florida Bar profile.

Fact about the 6 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law 6 of 6
Years in practice 13 to 45 (median 36)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Fort Pierce office address and criminal defense as a practice area on record. It compares 6 criminal defense lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

Florida sets deadlines for charging a crime, and anyone who cannot afford a lawyer is entitled to a public defender.

Rule What it means
Time limit to prosecute a first-degree felony 4 years after the offense (Fla. Stat. § 775.15)
Other felonies 3 years (§ 775.15)
First-degree misdemeanor 2 years (§ 775.15)
Second-degree misdemeanor 1 year (§ 775.15)
No time limit Capital and life felonies and felonies resulting in death (§ 775.15)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit St. Lucie County is in Florida's Nineteenth Judicial Circuit

How to choose among these lawyers

Confirm the license, ask who will handle your matter, and get the fee terms in writing before you sign.

  1. Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory and check the bar number shown on their LexRanked profile.
  2. Ask whether the lawyer you meet will handle your matter personally, and how many matters like yours they have handled recently.
  3. Ask how they charge and what costs are extra, and get the agreement in writing.

Further reading

Sources for the rules above

Frequently asked questions

How long does Florida have to charge a crime?

Generally 4 years for a first-degree felony, 3 years for other felonies, 2 years for a first-degree misdemeanor and 1 year for a second-degree misdemeanor. Capital and life felonies and felonies resulting in death have no time limit.

What if I cannot afford a criminal defense lawyer?

You can ask the court to appoint the public defender, who represents people who cannot afford a lawyer.

What does Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law mean?

It is a credential from The Florida Bar for lawyers with substantial experience in the field who have passed peer review and a written exam. 6 of the 6 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Fort Pierce?

State court cases in St. Lucie County are heard in Florida's Nineteenth Judicial Circuit.

How is this ranking ordered?

By the LexRank score, calculated only from facts with a cited source: experience, practice-area relevance, awards on record such as board certification, professional credentials, data quality and location. Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Payment never changes a position.

Do client reviews affect the LexRank score?

Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Reviews are shown on profiles for information only, and Reputation counts only awards on record, such as board certification. How we rank

Which lawyers are verified?

6 of the 6 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Karen Jean Tufte “Karen”, Jeffrey Huntley Garland, Michael Jeffrey Kessler, Jonathan Jay Kirschner “Jay Kirschner” and Brian Hobbs Mallonee and others.

About this ranking

Last updated
Methodology
LexRank v1.2 - deterministic, reproducible scoring
Editorial review
LexRanked editorial team,
Independence
Positions are never sold. Paid placements, if any, are labelled and do not affect scores.

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