Independent lawyer rankingsEvery fact traceable to a sourcePayment never changes a ranking
LexRanked
Menu

Criminal Defense

Top-Ranked Criminal Defense Lawyers in Melbourne, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.28 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked criminal defense lawyers in Melbourne, Florida are Keith F Szachacz (LexRank 84.00), Ernest L Chang “Ernie” (84.00) and Kepler Brooke Funk (84.00).

This ranking lists 8 criminal defense lawyers in Melbourne, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 8 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 17 to 42 years in practice. 1 of the 8 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.

Lawyers ranked
8
Fully verified
8 of 8

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Keith F Szachacz

    Funk, Szachacz & Diamond, LLC · Melbourne, FL

    Verified
    • 33 years experience
    • Criminal Defense
    • 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 28.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)

    Held back by

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

    Ernest L Chang “Ernie”

    Independent practice · Melbourne, FL

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

    Ranks #2 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 28.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)

    Held back by

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

    Kepler Brooke Funk

    Funk, Szachacz & Diamond, LLC · Melbourne, FL

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

    Ranks #3 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 28.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)

    Held back by

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

    Geoffrey Golub

    Independent practice · Melbourne, FL

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

    Ranks #4 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 28.4)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)

    Held back by

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

    Alan Samuel Diamond

    Independent practice · Melbourne, FL

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

    Ranks #5 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #4, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 28.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.40 points behind #4 (Geoffrey Golub): Data quality −1.4.

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

  6. No change

    Brian Neal Onek

    Independent practice · Melbourne, FL

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

    Ranks #6 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 28.4)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

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

  7. No change

    Kurt A. Russell

    Independent practice · Melbourne, FL

    Verified
    • 22 years experience
    • Criminal Defense
    • Bar status verified
    View profile
    Why #7?

    Ranks #7 with 79.00: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 3.60 points behind #6, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.5)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    3.60 points behind #6 (Brian Neal Onek): Experience −3.6.

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

  8. No change

    Colleen Adkins DeGraff “Colleen”

    Independent practice · Melbourne, FL

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

    Ranks #8 with 70.65: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (20.4/30). 8.35 points behind #7, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)
    • Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 20.4/30 (ranking avg 28.4)

    8.35 points behind #7 (Kurt A. Russell): Experience −6, Professional credentials −3.8.

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 · 8 profile pages85 facts for 8 lawyers

Criminal Defense market in Melbourne

LexRanked tracks 8 lawyers and 1 law firm in criminal defense law in Melbourne, Florida. 8 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 16, 2026.

Lawyers
8
Law firms
1
Verified professional data
8 of 8
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
33.5 years8 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 Melbourne

What sets these Melbourne lawyers apart

All 8 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 8 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law 8 of 8
Years in practice 17 to 42 (median 33.5)
Languages besides English Spanish (1)
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 (2 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Melbourne office address and criminal defense as a practice area on record. It compares 8 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 Brevard County is in Florida's Eighteenth 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.
  4. If you prefer to work in another language, check the languages listed on each profile.

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. 8 of the 8 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Melbourne?

State court cases in Brevard County are heard in Florida's Eighteenth Judicial Circuit.

Are there Spanish-speaking criminal defense lawyers in Melbourne?

Yes. 1 of the 8 ranked lawyers lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile. Each LexRanked profile shows the languages on record.

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?

8 of the 8 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Keith F Szachacz, Ernest L Chang “Ernie”, Kepler Brooke Funk, Geoffrey Golub and Alan Samuel Diamond 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.

Explore