Top 5 Criminal Defense Attorneys in Port St. Lucie

Facing a criminal charge in St. Lucie County — whether a DUI, drug trafficking offense, violent felony, sex crime, or federal case in the Southern District of Florida — is among the most serious situations a person can encounter. The 19th Judicial Circuit courts serving Port St. Lucie handle a high volume of cases across a wide spectrum of severity, and the quality of your legal representation from the first moment of contact with law enforcement can determine the entire trajectory of your case.

After thorough research into attorney credentials, client feedback, peer ratings, and professional recognition, here are five of the most highly regarded criminal defense attorneys serving Port St. Lucie:

1. Brian H. Mallonee — Law Office of Brian H. Mallonee

Brian Mallonee holds a combination of credentials that, by his own firm’s assessment, is unmatched by any criminal defense attorney on the Treasure Coast. Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law by The Florida Bar, AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and carrying a perfect 10.0 Superb rating on Avvo backed by 34 verified reviews, Mallonee has devoted his entire legal career since 1998 to criminal defense in St. Lucie, Indian River, Martin, and Okeechobee counties.

Why Clients Choose Him:

• Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer by The Florida Bar — the highest recognition the Bar awards, requiring rigorous testing, peer evaluation, and documented jury trial experience — combined with AV Preeminent peer-review rating and a 10.0 Avvo score, making him one of only a small number of attorneys in the region to hold all three simultaneously.
• Member of the Criminal Justice Act panel for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida — a highly selective federal appointment that allows him to represent clients in federal court and reflects the government’s confidence in his legal caliber, giving him genuine courtroom experience in both state and federal venues.
• A documented reputation for winning cases others would not attempt — including outright acquittals in serious felony trials — through creative motion practice, aggressive search-and-seizure challenges, and a mastery of evidentiary law that regularly compels judges to exclude key prosecution evidence before trial.

Address: 130 South Indian River Drive, Suite 302, Fort Pierce, FL 34950 | Phone: (772) 464-1991

2. Jeffrey H. Garland — Law Office of Jeffrey H. Garland, P.A.

Jeffrey Garland has practiced criminal law in the Treasure Coast region since 1981 — over four decades of experience defending clients in state and federal courts across St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and Brevard counties. He has been Board Certified by The Florida Bar in criminal trial law since 1989, one of the earliest certifications on record, and has maintained it continuously — a distinction that reflects sustained excellence across an entire career.

Why Clients Choose Him:

• Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law since 1989 — one of the longest-held certifications in the region — combined with an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating and a 10.0 Avvo score, signifying unbroken peer recognition for legal excellence and ethical standards spanning more than three decades of practice.
• Regularly appears in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as in state trial courts across the Treasure Coast — a breadth of federal and appellate court experience that most local criminal defense attorneys simply do not possess.
• A 4.7-star independent review score with client testimonials noting his ability to win appeals where public defenders had previously failed, his straightforward courtroom arguments, and his scientific approach to challenging physical and digital evidence — including DNA, forensic analysis, and technological evidence used against defendants.

Address: 453 NW Prima Vista Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, FL 34983 | Phone: (772) 489-2200

3. Baginski Brandt & Brandt — Arthur Brandt & Julia Baginski Brandt

Founded in 1997, Baginski Brandt & Brandt is one of Port St. Lucie’s most established criminal defense firms, with two experienced trial attorneys bringing complementary backgrounds and decades of combined courtroom experience to clients across St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties. Arthur Brandt is a University of Miami School of Law graduate and past President of the St. Lucie County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, while Julia Baginski Brandt is a former Assistant Public Defender who previously served as President of the same organization.

Why Clients Choose Them:

• Arthur Brandt has served as lead counsel in over 50 jury trials throughout Florida and is a proud member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 — a peer-nominated distinction reflecting superior qualifications and trial performance — while Julia Baginski Brandt has handled thousands of criminal cases with proven success in both jury and bench trials.
• Both attorneys are active members of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys and the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, with Arthur Brandt serving as a past President of the St. Lucie County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Julia Baginski Brandt having held the same leadership role — deep institutional ties that reflect genuine leadership within the local criminal defense community.
• A full-service defense team covering felonies, misdemeanors, DUI, drug charges, juvenile offenses, sex crimes, white-collar offenses, weapons charges, probation violations, and prison release matters, with an approach that combines genuine personal attention with experienced courtroom advocacy in the 19th Judicial Circuit.

Address: 8483 S. US Highway 1, Port St. Lucie, FL 34952 | Phone: Available via firm website

4. Michael Kessler — Kessler Law Firm

Michael Kessler has practiced criminal defense on Florida’s Treasure Coast for over 40 years, earning a reputation as one of the region’s most tenacious and technically sophisticated DUI and criminal defense attorneys. Honored by Thomson Reuters as a Super Lawyer for more than five consecutive years, Kessler brings a depth of courtroom knowledge and case-specific preparation that clients across St. Lucie County consistently credit with achieving dismissals and reduced charges in circumstances where other attorneys offered little hope.

Why Clients Choose Him:

• Recognized by Thomson Reuters as a Florida Super Lawyer for over five consecutive years — a peer-influenced, research-driven distinction awarded to no more than 5% of Florida attorneys annually — confirming his standing among the most respected criminal defense practitioners on the Treasure Coast.
• Owns and operates his own Intoxilyzer 8000 breathalyzer device, has completed the same DUI training courses administered to St. Lucie County law enforcement officers, and employs a licensed private investigator on staff — a level of technical investment in DUI and criminal defense that allows him to challenge evidence from a position of genuine scientific understanding rather than procedural objection alone.
• Client reviews describe a practitioner who personally manages each case, keeps clients fully informed at every stage, and has achieved remarkable outcomes in high-stakes matters — including representing a client who accumulated 12 felony charges and still has no convictions to date — a result that reflects both legal skill and relentless case-specific effort.

Address: 207 S 2nd St, Fort Pierce, FL 34950| Phone: (772) 466-4900

5. Arthur Brandt — Independent Recognition within Baginski Brandt & Brandt

While Arthur Brandt is co-leader of Baginski Brandt & Brandt, his individual professional record warrants separate recognition within the firm context. As a 1997 Florida Bar admittee, University of Miami Law School graduate, and past President of the St. Lucie County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Brandt has spent over 25 years building one of the most respected criminal defense profiles in the 19th Judicial Circuit — combining institutional leadership with real-world courtroom advocacy across the full range of serious criminal matters.

Why Clients Choose Him:

• Lead counsel experience across more than 50 Florida jury trials spanning felony drug charges, sex crimes, homicide, DUI, weapons offenses, and white-collar matters — a volume and breadth of jury trial experience that places him among the most tested trial lawyers in St. Lucie County’s criminal defense bar.
• AV Preeminent peer-review rated by Martindale-Hubbell, with Client Champion recognition reflecting sustained positive client reviews, and peer endorsements from fellow attorneys describing him as thoroughly prepared, legally sophisticated, and highly effective in contentious courtroom situations.
• Past President of the St. Lucie County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, with active membership in both the Florida and National Associations of Criminal Defense Attorneys — leadership and organizational involvement that keeps him current on legislative developments, case law changes, and evolving best practices in Florida criminal procedure.

Address: 8483 S. US Highway 1, Port St. Lucie, FL 34952 | Phone: Available via firm website