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Top-Ranked Juvenile Lawyers in Gainesville, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.29 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked juvenile lawyers in Gainesville, Florida are Marci Dana Silver (LexRank 84.00), Heidi Prescott Kemph (82.80) and Donald L Royston “Don” (82.60).

This ranking lists 9 juvenile lawyers in Gainesville, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 9 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Juvenile Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 8 to 46 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
9
Fully verified
9 of 9

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Marci Dana Silver

    Independent practice · Gainesville, FL

    Verified
    • 27 years experience
    • Juvenile
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #1?

    Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 8.9)

    Held back by

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

    Heidi Prescott Kemph

    Independent practice · Gainesville, FL

    Verified
    • 24 years experience
    • Juvenile
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #2?

    Ranks #2 with 82.80: strongest in Experience (28.8/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.20 points behind #1, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 28.8/30 (ranking avg 24.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 8.9)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.20 points behind #1 (Marci Dana Silver): Experience −1.2.

  3. No change

    Donald L Royston “Don”

    Independent practice · Gainesville, FL

    Verified
    • 46 years experience
    • Juvenile
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #3?

    Ranks #3 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 0.20 points behind #2, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    0.20 points behind #2 (Heidi Prescott Kemph): Data quality −1.4.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  4. No change

    Francine Turney

    Independent practice · Gainesville, FL

    Verified
    • 25 years experience
    • Juvenile
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #4?

    Ranks #4 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 24.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  5. No change

    Jennifer Ruth Meiselman Titus

    Independent practice · Gainesville, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Juvenile
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #5?

    Ranks #5 with 77.80: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 4.80 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 24.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    4.80 points behind #4 (Francine Turney): Experience −4.8.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  6. No change

    Jessica Zissimopulos

    Independent practice · Gainesville, FL

    Verified
    • 21 years experience
    • Juvenile
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #6?

    Ranks #6 with 77.80: strongest in Experience (25.2/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 25.2/30 (ranking avg 24.8)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  7. No change

    Lindsay Brooke Hanson

    Independent practice · Gainesville, FL

    Verified
    • 20 years experience
    • Juvenile
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 76.60: strongest in Local relevance (5/5) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.20 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 20)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.20 points behind #6 (Jessica Zissimopulos): Experience −1.2.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  8. No change

    Ryan Douglas Johnson

    Independent practice · Gainesville, FL

    Verified
    • 17 years experience
    • Juvenile
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #8?

    Ranks #8 with 73.00: strongest in Local relevance (5/5) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (20.4/30). 3.60 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 20)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 24.8)

    3.60 points behind #7 (Lindsay Brooke Hanson): Experience −3.6.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

  9. No change

    Amanda Lee Kincaid

    Independent practice · Gainesville, FL

    Verified
    • 8 years experience
    • Juvenile
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #9?

    Ranks #9 with 62.20: strongest in Local relevance (5/5) and Practice-area relevance (20/20); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (9.6/30). 10.80 points behind #8, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
    • Practice-area relevance 20/20 (ranking avg 20)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 9.6/30 (ranking avg 24.8)

    10.80 points behind #8 (Ryan Douglas Johnson): Experience −10.8.

    Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.

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 · 9 profile pages92 facts for 9 lawyers

Juvenile market in Gainesville

LexRanked tracks 9 lawyers in juvenile law in Gainesville, Florida. 9 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 19, 2026.

Lawyers
9
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
9 of 9
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
21 years9 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 Gainesville

What sets these Gainesville lawyers apart

All 9 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Juvenile 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 9 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Juvenile Law 9 of 9
Years in practice 8 to 46 (median 21)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law (5 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Gainesville office address and juvenile as a practice area on record. It compares 9 juvenile lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.

Florida rules to know

A Florida child taken into custody for a delinquent act must get a detention hearing within 24 hours and has the right to a lawyer at every stage of the case.

Rule What it means
Detention hearing A child placed in detention must have a hearing within 24 hours after being taken into custody (Fla. Stat. § 985.255)
Detention limit No more than 21 days in secure detention under a special detention order unless the adjudicatory hearing has begun in good faith (§ 985.26)
Right to counsel A child has the right to a lawyer at all stages of delinquency proceedings, appointed by the court if the family is indigent (§ 985.033)
Shelter hearing In dependency cases a child may not be held in a shelter longer than 24 hours without a court order after a shelter hearing (§ 39.402)
Diversion records A minor who completes a diversion program may have the arrest record expunged (§ 943.0582)
Court Where cases are heard
State court circuit Alachua County is in Florida's Eighth 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 soon does a child see a judge after an arrest in Florida?

A child placed in detention must be given a hearing within 24 hours after being taken into custody, under section 985.255.

How long can a child be held in juvenile detention in Florida?

Under section 985.26, generally no more than 21 days in secure detention under a special detention order unless the adjudicatory hearing has begun in good faith, with limited exceptions set out in the statute.

Does my child have the right to a lawyer in juvenile court?

Yes. Section 985.033 gives a child the right to a lawyer at all stages of delinquency proceedings, and the court appoints one if the family is indigent.

Can a juvenile arrest record be cleared in Florida?

A minor who successfully completes a diversion program may apply to have the arrest record expunged under section 943.0582, if the statute's conditions are met.

Who certifies juvenile lawyers in Florida?

The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in Juvenile Law after at least five years of practice, peer review and a written exam.

What does Board Certified in Juvenile 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. 9 of the 9 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Gainesville?

State court cases in Alachua County are heard in Florida's Eighth 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?

9 of the 9 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Marci Dana Silver, Heidi Prescott Kemph, Donald L Royston “Don”, Francine Turney and Jennifer Ruth Meiselman Titus and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Marci Dana Silver scores 84.00 and Heidi Prescott Kemph 82.80, a gap of 1.20 points, mostly in experience. Compare them side by side

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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