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Top-Ranked Juvenile Lawyers in Jacksonville, Florida

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

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked juvenile lawyers in Jacksonville, Florida are Christine Marie Meyer (LexRank 82.60), Kimberly Carroll Tusher “K.C.” (78.85) and Belkis Christina Plata (73.20).

This ranking lists 6 juvenile lawyers in Jacksonville, 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 Juvenile Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 10 to 33 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

    Christine Marie Meyer

    Independent practice · Jacksonville, FL

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

    Ranks #1 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20).

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.6)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

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

  2. No change

    Kimberly Carroll Tusher “K.C.”

    Independent practice · Jacksonville, FL

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

    Ranks #2 with 78.85: strongest in Experience (30/30); held back by Reputation (4/20). 3.75 points behind #1, mostly professional credentials.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 20.6)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    3.75 points behind #1 (Christine Marie Meyer): Professional credentials −3.8.

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

  3. No change

    Belkis Christina Plata

    Plata Schott Law · Jacksonville, FL

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

    Ranks #3 with 73.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (19.2/30). 5.65 points behind #2, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.1)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 20.6)

    5.65 points behind #2 (Kimberly Carroll Tusher “K.C.”): Experience −10.8.

  4. No change

    Shannon Brooke Schott

    Plata Schott Law · Jacksonville, FL

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

    Ranks #4 with 73.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (19.2/30).

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.1)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 19.2/30 (ranking avg 20.6)
  5. No change

    Dominic Louis Charles Piscitello

    Independent practice · Jacksonville, FL

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

    Ranks #5 with 65.80: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (13.2/30). 7.40 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 13.2/30 (ranking avg 20.6)

    7.40 points behind #4 (Shannon Brooke Schott): Experience −6, Data quality −1.4.

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

  6. No change

    Margaret Claire McLendon

    Independent practice · Jacksonville, FL

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

    Ranks #6 with 64.60: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (12/30). 1.20 points behind #5, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.4)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 12/30 (ranking avg 20.6)

    1.20 points behind #5 (Dominic Louis Charles Piscitello): Experience −1.2.

    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 · 6 profile pages61 facts for 6 lawyers

Juvenile market in Jacksonville

LexRanked tracks 6 lawyers and 1 law firm in juvenile law in Jacksonville, Florida. 6 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 16, 2026.

Lawyers
6
Law firms
1
Verified professional data
6 of 6
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
16 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 Jacksonville

What sets these Jacksonville lawyers apart

All 6 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 6 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Juvenile Law 6 of 6
Years in practice 10 to 33 (median 16)
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 Jacksonville office address and juvenile as a practice area on record. It compares 6 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 Duval County is in Florida's Fourth 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. 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 Jacksonville?

State court cases in Duval County are heard in Florida's Fourth 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: Christine Marie Meyer, Kimberly Carroll Tusher “K.C.”, Belkis Christina Plata, Shannon Brooke Schott and Dominic Louis Charles Piscitello and others.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Christine Marie Meyer scores 82.60 and Kimberly Carroll Tusher “K.C.” 78.85, a gap of 3.75 points, mostly in professional credentials. 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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