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Criminal Defense

Top-Ranked Criminal Defense Lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida

Updated Methodology LexRank v1.25 lawyers rankedReviewed by LexRanked editorial team

Summary

As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked criminal defense lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida are Ethan Andrew Way (LexRank 84.00), Randolph Patterson Murrell (82.60) and Joshua David Zelman (81.60).

This ranking lists 5 criminal defense lawyers in Tallahassee, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 5 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 12 to 49 years in practice.

Lawyers ranked
5
Fully verified
5 of 5

The ranking

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

  1. No change

    Ethan Andrew Way

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

    Verified
    • 28 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 23.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.2)

    Held back by

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

    Randolph Patterson Murrell

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

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

    Ranks #2 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #1, mostly data quality.

    Strongest

    • Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 15)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.40 points behind #1 (Ethan Andrew Way): Data quality −1.4.

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

  3. No change

    Joshua David Zelman

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

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

    Ranks #3 with 81.60: strongest in Experience (27.6/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.00 points behind #2, mostly experience.

    Strongest

    • Experience 27.6/30 (ranking avg 23.8)
    • Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.2)

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)

    1.00 points behind #2 (Randolph Patterson Murrell): Experience −2.4.

  4. No change

    Brooke Fuller Brewer

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

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

    Ranks #4 with 69.40: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (16.8/30). 12.20 points behind #3, mostly experience.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 16.8/30 (ranking avg 23.8)

    12.20 points behind #3 (Joshua David Zelman): Experience −10.8, Data quality −1.4.

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

  5. No change

    Kareem L. Todman

    Independent practice · Tallahassee, FL

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

    Ranks #5 with 67.00: strongest in Professional credentials (15/15) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (14.4/30). 2.40 points behind #4, mostly experience.

    Strongest

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

    Held back by

    • Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
    • Experience 14.4/30 (ranking avg 23.8)

    2.40 points behind #4 (Brooke Fuller Brewer): Experience −2.4.

    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 · 3 profile pages30 facts for 3 lawyers

Criminal Defense market in Tallahassee

LexRanked tracks 5 lawyers in criminal defense law in Tallahassee, Florida. 5 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 19, 2026.

Lawyers
5
Law firms
0
Verified professional data
5 of 5
Average rating
Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
Median review count
Withheldtoo few sourced counts
Median experience
23 years5 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 Tallahassee

What sets these Tallahassee lawyers apart

All 5 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 5 ranked lawyers Figure
Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law 5 of 5
Years in practice 12 to 49 (median 23)
License status with The Florida Bar Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer
Most common law school Florida State University College of Law (4 lawyers)

Who is included in this ranking?

Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a Tallahassee office address and criminal defense as a practice area on record. It compares 5 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 Leon County is in Florida's Second 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. 5 of the 5 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.

Which court handles cases in Tallahassee?

State court cases in Leon County are heard in Florida's Second 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?

5 of the 5 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Ethan Andrew Way, Randolph Patterson Murrell, Joshua David Zelman, Brooke Fuller Brewer and Kareem L. Todman.

What is the difference between the top two lawyers?

Ethan Andrew Way scores 84.00 and Randolph Patterson Murrell 82.60, a gap of 1.40 points, mostly in data quality. 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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