Highlands County Domestic Violence Lawyers

Jack A. Kaleita graduated from Stetson University College of Law, was admitted to the Bar in 1986 and began his legal career as a state prosecutor on Florida's west coast. He then returned to Central Florida after 5 years, serving as an Assistant State Attorney in Seminole County for an additional 12 years. As a prosecutor, Mr. Kaleita tried numerous cases involving virtually every type of criminal charge. In addition to taking dozens of criminal cases to trial himself, he taught and supervised other attorneys, first as a Lead Trial Attorney, and later as the Misdemeanor/Traffic Division Chief and as the...

Shayna K. Cavanaugh is dedicated to the practice of issues involving families, including divorce, guardianship, children’s issues, child support and alimony, and domestic violence. Recognizing that every case is unique, we focus on the individual client and provide the personalized attention that each client deserves. We strive to listen to each client’s needs, to educate them regarding their options, and to advocate for their goals and desired outcomes.

I’ve wanted to be an attorney since I was eight years old. Frankly, I’ve always been passionate about helping others, especially those who have a feeling of helplessness. Fighting for other people is in my DNA and comes across in everything I do. I am passionate about seeking justice in all circumstances and I truly believe in our system, when it’s working as it should.

At the end of the day, that’s my job. I am intent on adding a layer of accountability to our system to ensure that it works properly for all people. This means helping people to understand...

With over 29 years of trial experience, attorney Michael Herring has zealously represented those that have been accused of all crimes, the injured and small business interests in all state courts of Central Florida. Herring and Herring P.A., a third generation Sanford Fl Law Firm, is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, conveniently located in the County Seat of Sanford, Seminole County, Florida. As a criminal defense lawyer, Michael Herring has been representing the accused for more than two decades in Central Florida. He handles a wide variety of cases ranging from high profile felonies to simple misdemeanors. Mr. Herring...

Mr. Shafran has dedicated his legal career to zealously advocating for victims and seeking justice for others. Mr. Shafran grew up in Parkland, Florida until he attended Florida State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology. In 2012, he received his Juris Doctor in law at Nova Southeastern University College of Law.

Upon graduating law school, Mr. Shafran worked as an Assistant State Attorney in Palm Beach County, prosecuting those accused of committing crimes and representing victims of crimes. As a prosecutor, Mr. Shafran handled thousands of cases ranging from minor offenses like misdemeanors, all the way...

Mr. Hancock is the Managing Partner at Hancock & Associates, P.A. He graduated from undergraduate school at the University of Central Florida in 2003, where he received his Bachelors of Science in Psychology. He attended and graduated from Florida A&M College of Law, in Orlando, FL, and received his Juris Doctor in 2010. He has been a member of the Florida Bar and a practicing attorney since September, 2010. During law school, he was a summer associate at McCreary & Hancock, P.A., in Orlando, Florida, and later was a clerk for the Judge of Compensation Claims in Orlando, FL....

I have been dedicated to the practice of Criminal Law for over 30 years, with more than 100 jury trials to my credit. I have extensive experience in representing individuals charged or under investigation for State and Federal criminal charges as well as appeals. I am also admitted to practice in the State of Massachusetts in both the State and Federal Courts as well as the 11th and 1st Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States. I am a Certified Circuit Court and Federal Court Mediator. My practice areas include the Middle District...

Michael LaFay Trial Attorney graduated from the American University Law School in Washington, D.C. in 1983. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1984 and the Florida Bar in 1985. Michael LaFay is board certified in Criminal Law by the Florida Bar and has achieved an "AV" rating overall, which is the highest ranking bestowed by Martindale-Hubbell, the national attorney ranking service. He has practiced in Central Florida as a trial attorney for the past 27 years and has litigated over 300 jury trials. During that time, he has served as a criminal defense attorney and also as...

Ernest L. Chang is an experienced Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, having practiced exclusively in the field of Criminal Defense since his admission to the Florida Bar in 1990. Mr. Chang obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida and his Juris Doctor degree in law from Nova Southeastern University. Mr. Chang has also appeared pro hac vice, in other jurisdictions, most recently in the State of Arizona. Past experiences include prosecuting Felony trials as a Certified Legal Intern with the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office, Former Public Defender with the 18th Judicial Circuit and Criminal Defense with...

At the Law Office of Paulette Hamilton Divorce Lawyers, we are a dedicated family law firm serving Orlando, Florida. We understand that every case is unique, and we pride ourselves on taking a client-centered approach. While some cases may share similarities, each family’s situation is distinct. That’s why we don’t rely on a one-size-fits-all method when handling family law matters. Building strong, long-term relationships with our clients is a priority, and we tailor our legal strategies to meet each individual’s specific needs and goals. Our commitment to personalized service is backed by a drive to achieve the best possible outcomes...

I have dedicated my entire legal career to fighting for individuals in court. I am known as a fighter and trial attorney that will stand up for his clients.

If you have been injured or arrested call now to insure your rights are protected. 863-838-5549

http://www.FLCrimeDefense.com

Experience: • More than 30 years experience • Former Prosceutor for Orange and Osceola County • Handled Capitol Cases involving the Death Penalty • Handled Thousands of Criminal Cases • Handled Thousands of DUI and Traffic Cases Licensed To Practice: • United States Supreme Court • United States District Court Middle District Florida • All Florida State Courts

Richard was born and raised in Brevard County, FL. After graduating from Holy Trinity Academy in Melbourne, FL, he attended Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. At Florida State, Richard obtained an undergraduate degree in psychology with a minor in criminology and criminal justice, graduating with honors. Richard was a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. Richard received his Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. While at Stetson, Richard geared his course selections toward criminal defense work and criminal trial advocacy. He successfully completed internships at the Public...

PRIOR CLIENT RATINGS: Visit http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/32935-fl-william-meyer-1258930.html William F. (Bill) Meyer is a former Assistant State Attorney in Brevard County. He has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1982 without any disciplinary action ever. He tries criminal/DUI jury trials. He is a member of the Brevard County Bar with over 33 years experience. He has been lead counsel in over 200 jury trials and knows precisely what defines a valid arrest. Not all arrests lead to conviction. All consultations are done in the privacy of our office. With the exception of public records, all documents...

Attorney Hillary Johnson is a former prosecutor who brings experience and exceptional legal knowledge to each case she tries. She holds a degree in communication from Florida State University and Juris Doctor from the Jones School of Law at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. While she was in law school, Ms. Johnson completed an internship with the State Attorney’s Office in Panama City. After graduation, she worked as an attorney with Florida’s Department of Children and Families before accepting a position at the State Attorney’s Office in Manatee County and Sarasota. It was while she was at the...

David Haenel protects the rights of the accused. His firm,The Law Place, has offices in Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando, and Clearwater but they represent people throughout the State of Florida. David is the former 2004 State of Florida DUI Prosecutor of the Year and has spent his entire legal career representing individuals charged with traffic and criminal traffic violations. David and his team of lawyers are relentless in their legal representation and are not satisfied until they have exhausted all possible defenses.

I am a native of central Georgia until I moved to Florida in 2011. While in Georgia, I attended Georgia Institute of Technology for Aerospace Engineering and obtained my degree in Business Administration and Business Economics from Georgia State University. After graduating from Georgia State in 2010, I moved to central Florida to attend Barry University School of Law, starting August 2011. In summer of 2012, I began an internship for a criminal defense attorney in Orlando, focusing on white collar defense. By late 2012, I was gaining experience family law matters and made the decision to shift...

Melissa Sherman earned her Juris Doctor from the Barry University School of Law in Orlando, where she graduated magna cum laude, and when she’s not defending clients, she’s volunteering in the Fort Myers community. She opened the Sherman Defense Law Firm in May 2021. Defense attorney Melissa Sherman has successfully represented misdemeanor and felony defendants in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and throughout central and south Florida. As an Assistant Public Defender, Melissa Sherman has represented defendants charged with crimes that include robbery, arson, aggravated battery, drug crimes, sex crimes, theft, burglary, and driving under the influence (DUI).

Attorney Jackson Hilliard has lived in St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area for the past ten years. Mr. Hilliard received his Bachelor’s degree in 1988 from the University of Central Florida. He earned his law degree in 2006 from Stetson College of Law. He is a member of multiple associations, including the Florida Bar, Clearwater Bar, St. Petersburg Bar, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer. Mr. Hilliard is the leading attorney at his Clearwater law firm, Hilliard Law, P.L. At the firm, he provides Florida residents with criminal and DUI...

I have been practicing as a criminal defense attorney since 2006 and currently manage my own firm, Jordan H. Kramer, P.A. Prior to opening my firm, I worked as a partner with Howze, Monaghan, Theriac & Kramer, PLC and before that I worked as an Assistant Public Defender in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit (Brevard County) where I quickly earned the reputation as a zealous advocate of my clients constitutional rights. I have successfully defended hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases in both the Circuit and County Court. During law school, I worked as an extern with the Wayne County...

David Hoffman was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, where he currently lives with his wife and three dogs. Mr. Hoffman graduated from the University of South Florida, where he received a B.A. in Spanish Literature. He earned his law degree from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.

Mr. Hoffman spent two years working as a collections attorney for a large Tampa firm, representing banks and other lenders in lawsuits over credit cards, vehicle loans, and home equity loans, as well as representing small businesses in the collection of outstanding invoices and judgments.

He then joined a smaller,...

Experienced Florida trial attorneys fighting for the injured and the accused.

For over 30 years Edward B. Sobel has provided specialized advice and representation for individuals involved in complex family law matters. Since 1991 he has been board certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in marital and family law. His areas of practice include Florida and interstate divorce, jurisdictional issues, prenuptial agreements, post nuptial agreements, domestic violence, paternity, parent, nonparent and grandparent child custody and timesharing, and alimony and child support. Mr. Sobel appears in original and modification cases. He has represented clients in numerous appeals, with many published opinions. His office is in Bradenton,...

Daniel J. Fernandez defends individuals charged with misdemeanor and felony criminal offenses throughout the Tampa Bay area and the State of Florida. With more than 30 years experience as a criminal defense attorney and hundreds of jury trials, Daniel earned tremendous accolades from judges, other lawyers, defendants and even jurors. Daniel started his legal career as a state prosecutor and became the chief of the Narcotics division before opening his own law practice in 1985. Daniel and members of his staff are fluent in Spanish and are available to answer questions you may have regarding a recent injury or...

David Hill obtained his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, and all state courts of Florida. Mr. Hill has practiced exclusively in criminal defense in the state of Florida, primarily in the Central Florida community, since graduating from law school and represents clients in a far-ranging array of matters, including felony, misdemeanor and traffic allegations, in both State and Federal courts. He has twenty years of experience as a criminal defense lawyer having been admitted to practice in 1991,...

Amy Ruiz received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing and International Economics from the University of Florida in 2000. She received her Juris Doctorate from the Florida State College of Law in 2004. While at Florida State, Ms. Ruiz was a member of the Journal of Transnational Law & Policy. She also participated in the Institute on World Legal Problems where she studied Comparative Constitutional Law at the University of Innsbruck, in Austria, with Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Antonin Scalia.

Upon graduating law school, Ms. Ruiz, a Tampa native, returned to Tampa and commenced...

Now Open – January 2025! With more than 25 years of experience in criminal law, Rocky Brancato has established himself as a leading attorney in the Tampa Bay legal community. As a seasoned criminal trial attorney, he worked his way up to the role of second-in-command at the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office before launching The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., in January 2025. Rocky has a wealth of experience handling high-stakes criminal cases, including homicides and sex offenses, from his tenure in a specialized major crimes division. Throughout his career, Rocky has consistently taken on complex and serious cases, demonstrating an unwavering...

Cheri Hobbs is a co-owner and managing partner of Compass Law. Cheri grew up in a family where service was not just something that was talked about, but something that was practiced daily in their lives. As a daughter of missionaries, she grew up helping people from all walks of life. From living with Indian tribes in the Amazon forest, to serving the needy in orphanages, to taking in domestic violence victims into their home, Cheri has always seen first-hand the real need that exists in all of humanity. It is this perspective and sincere compassion that propelled her into...

Attorney Lakeena “Keena” Gillion is a skilled family law attorney specializing in divorce, child custody, timesharing, modifications, injunctions, and other family law matters. With a deep commitment to helping families navigate challenging legal situations, she offers a compassionate yet assertive approach to securing her clients’ best interests. Attorney Gillion brings a comprehensive understanding of family dynamics and legal complexities, combining her legal expertise with a genuine passion for helping individuals and families in need of resolution and closure during emotional and difficult times. Having practiced in various areas of law, Attorney Gillion has developed a strong reputation for her work in...

Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, I attended the University of Florida for undergrad and the University of Miami School of Law. I moved back to Orlando after law school to be close to my family and started my career at the Public Defender's Office. After that, I opened a boutique law firm to focus on getting my clients the attention they deserve to solve the particular problems they have. Whether it's a DUI, a divorce, or a car accident injury, the focus is on the client, preserving their rights, and getting the best possible outcome for...

Attorney Neal T. McShane has been a resident of the Central Florida area since 1978. Neal earned his bachelor's degree from Kent State University, and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Akron School of Law. As a U.S. Army Lieutenant, he served in Vietnam and later as a Captain in the U.S. Army, Ohio National Guard. Neal was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge and numerous other awards and decorations. In 1980, he graduated from the Investigation and Prosecution of Organized Crime and Fraud Program at Cornell Institute on Organized Crime, Cornell University Law School. Neal...

EXPERIENCE: President, University of Miami School of Law Family Law Society 1999-2000, Criminal Law Society, Author: Drugs a Process of Death Florida Police Chiefs Association, Computer Animation Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Will it Become Tomorrow's New Form of Substantive Evidence? If so, Should it Be? University of Miami School of Law. CALI Award for RICO University of Miami School of Law, Member Golden Key National Honors Society University of Central Florida; Chief of Police City Of Oak Hill Florida 1988-1991Youngest Police Chief In Florida; Lake County Sheriff's Office, Investigator in Charge of Intelligence and Organized Crime 1985-1988; Lead Investigator 5th...

Robert A. Morris, Jr. has been practicing law in Hernando County since 1991 when he started his career as an Assistant State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit . While working at the State Attorneys Office he prosecuted a variety of crimes including DUI’s, misdemeanors and felony offenses. Born in Indiana Robert graduated from Culver Military Academy in 1984 and then continued on to received his undergraduate degree from Ball State University located in Muncie, Indiana in 1988. Robert graduated Law School from Valparaiso University School of Law, which is located a short distance from Chicago Illinois, in...

Justin G. Hausler has worked in the criminal area of practice since being admitted to the Florida Bar. He began his legal career as a Prosecutor for the 18th Judicial Circuit in Seminole County, FL as an Assistant State Attorney. While serving as a Prosecutor, Mr. Hausler conducted many jury trials regarding Driving under the influence (DUI), driving while license suspended/cancelled/revoked (DWLS), drug, domestic violence, theft, violation of probation and various other types of cases. After serving as an Assistant State Attorney, Mr. Hausler dedicated himself to representing individuals that had been accused in the criminal justice system. In...

Russell Knight was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. His family moved to the United States in 1991.

Russell Knight attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois and graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Computers Systems.

After two years working as a computer programmer for a Fortune 50 company, Russell Knight decided that he’d rather work with people than machines and he enrolled in the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana, Illinois.

Upon graduating from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2006, Russell Knight began working for a small general practice law firm in Chicago,...

John H. Trevena is the owner and principal attorney of his firm. He has been practicing law for more than 36 years. His keen sense of strategy, accomplished skills as a trial lawyer and straightforward approach bring due process for his clients in the criminal justice and civil court systems. His high profile successes have gained him national attention and he makes frequent appearances on network television. Specialties: Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer.