Most Recommended Juvenile Law Experts

I bring a rare dual perspective to criminal law: 23 years as an FBI Special Agent followed by nearly a decade as a criminal defense attorney. This unique combination of federal law enforcement experience and defense advocacy gives me comprehensive insight into both sides of the criminal justice system. As owner of the Law Office of Jerry L. Garner, I represent clients facing serious criminal charges throughout Southern Indiana, including weapon offenses, white collar crimes, violent crimes, OWI/DUI, drug charges, and sex-related offenses. My FBI career spanned investigations in Alabama and Kentucky, giving me firsthand knowledge of federal investigative procedures, constitutional protections, and the inner workings of law enforcement agencies. Beyond my legal practice, I served as a professor at Kentucky Wesleyan College from 2013 to 2020, teaching courses in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Criminal Investigation, White Collar Crime, and Critical Issues in Policing. My academic background also includes teaching Astronomy at the collegiate level. Areas of Expertise: - Criminal Defense & Constitutional Rights – Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment protections; search and seizure law; Miranda rights - Federal Law Enforcement & FBI Procedures – Investigation techniques, evidence collection, federal prosecution processes - White Collar Crime – Fraud, corruption, financial crimes, and federal enforcement trends - Criminal Procedure – Arrest protocols, interrogation practices, courtroom procedures - Violent Crime & Drug Offenses – Defense strategies, sentencing considerations, plea negotiations - Criminal Justice Policy – Policing practices, judicial processes, reform issues Education: - JD – Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, University of Louisville (1988) - MS – Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia (2010) - BA – Hanover College, Indiana (1985) Professional Experience: - Owner/Attorney, Law Office of Jerry L. Garner (2017–Present) - Professor/Adjunct Professor, Kentucky Wesleyan College (2013–2020) - Special Agent (Retired), FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation (1990–2013) - Associate Attorney, Law Office of Jenner & Kemper (1989–1990)

New York admitted attorney who began his legal career at a New York City District Attorney's Office and later built a government-facing career working across local, state, and federal partners. He served as Deputy Director of Government Relations at a national nonprofit, coordinating across more than 35 internal teams and external stakeholders to build an outreach strategy that helped take pilot programs from early-stage concepts to city and statewide scale. He brings a practical, implementation-focused approach that connects law, policy, and government process to operational execution. He is also a contributor on WBUR (NPR)'s investigative podcast Beyond All Repair, which won the 2025 Ambie for Best True Crime Podcast and was named among Vulture's best podcasts of 2024.

Dr. Beth J. Sanborn is a nationally recognized school safety expert, speaker, and author with over two decades of experience in law enforcement and education. A retired police officer and former School Resource Officer, she currently serves as President of the Pennsylvania Association of School Resource Officers and is a certified NASRO instructor. Dr. Sanborn specializes in school safety strategy, youth behavior, crisis prevention, and the effective integration of school-based law enforcement. She is the author of The Missing Piece and Piecing It Together, a TEDx speaker, and has testified before the Pennsylvania House Education and Health Committees. Her work focuses on protecting student rights, strengthening school safety culture, and building collaborative relationships between schools, families, and public safety professionals.

Keisha April joined the faculty at the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice in 2022. Dr. April’s research, situated at the intersection of psychology and criminal justice, examines factors that contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system. Specifically, her work seeks to promote a greater understanding of the relationships between communities of color and the police. Using mixed methods approaches, Dr. April examines the attitudes and beliefs of the individuals who interact with and work within the justice system to inform policies and practices to reduce disparities and promote more positive outcomes for justice-involved youth. She utilizes her interdisciplinary training as an applied researcher, clinician, and legal practitioner to devise ecologically sound and community-driven research questions. Dr. April holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a forensic psychology concentration, from Drexel University. She also holds a J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and received an A.B. in Psychology, magna cum laude, from Princeton University. Prior to her appointment at Rutgers, Dr. April was a Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Applied Psychology at NYU, where she engaged in the development and evaluation of interventions for justice-involved young people. She completed her pre-doctoral internship in clinical and community psychology with the Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry where she engaged in community consultation projects focused on systems-level interventions for justice-involved and at-risk children. . Dr. April is a licensed attorney and a licensed clinical psychologist. April, K., Stenersen, M. R., Deslandes, M., Ford, T., Gaylord, P., Patterson, J., Wilson, B., & Kaufman, J. S. (2023). “Give up your mic”: Building capacity and sustainability within community-based participatory research initiatives. American Journal of Community Psychology, 72(1-2), 203-216. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12674 Javdani, S., Berezin, M. N., & April, K. (2023). A treatment-to-prison-pipeline? Scoping review and multimethod examination of legal consequences of residential treatment among adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 52(3), 376-395. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2023.2178003 April, K., Cole, L. M., & Goldstein, N. E. S. (2022) Let’s “Talk” about the police: The role of race and police legitimacy attitudes in the legal socialization of youth. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-02709-8 Cole, L. M., April, K., & Trinkner, R. (2020). The black and white reality: Historical and post- Ferguson era perspectives on public attitudes toward the police. In M. Miller & B. Bornstein (Eds.), Advances in psychology and law (Vol. 5). Springer Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54678-6_8 Heilbrun, K., Pietruszka, V., Janssen, J., & April, K. (2020). Violence risk and threat assessment. In A. B. Batastini & M. J. Vitacco (Eds.), Forensic mental health evaluations in the digital age: A practitioner’s guide to using internet-based data. Springer Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33908-1_4 April, K., Cole, L. M., & Goldstein, N. E. S. (2019). Police endorsement of color-blind racial beliefs and propensity to interact with youth of color. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 37(6), 681-695. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2438

I concentrate in the areas of Criminal Defense, DUI Defense and Orders of Protection. I was also an Adjunct Professor at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law for 13 years. I was appointed by the Governor of Illinois to serve on the Task Force on Forensic Science in January 2020. In 2021, I was named by the Women's Bar Association a Top Woman Lawyer in Leadership and In 2019, I was invited to be on Staff of Trial Lawyers College where I teach several seminars a year. In 2014, I was named Young Lawyer of the Year by the Illinois State Bar Association and since 2019 I have been named a Top 100 Lawyer by Illinois Super Lawyers, and to the Top 50 Women in Law by Illinois Super Lawyers. I was elected to the Board of Governors of the IL State Bar Association in 2019 and was appointed by the President to be on the Board of the Illinois Bar Foundation. I am past Chair of Traffic Laws and Court committee, the Law Office Management Committee, and LAWPAC of the IL State Bar Association.

Angela B. Ryan, Esq. is an attorney, advocate, and educator working at the intersection of child welfare law, maternal and reproductive justice, and healthcare equity. A former public defender and law professor at Villanova University, she has represented parents and hundreds of children in child abuse and neglect proceedings, taught future lawyers, and contributed to policy efforts aimed at protecting vulnerable children, parents, and families. After experiencing severe medical mismanagement during childbirth, Angela began writing and speaking on patient rights, informed consent, and the systemic failures facing women in healthcare. Her work bridges law, policy, and lived experience to help journalists, lawyers, and policymakers understand how institutional breakdowns harm real families—and how accountability can be rebuilt. What systems write off, she writes back in. She is the author of Dispatches From the Middle, a widely read series on motherhood, maternal health, patient rights, and the lived experience of chronic illness.

Attorney Joy Owenby serves clients throughout Florida with aggressive and relentless representation for a wide-range of practice areas. While her knowledge and experience are extensive, Attorney Owenby particularly handles matters involving divorce, adoption, trusts / wills, probate, criminal defense, child support, and family law. Over the course of the years, she has obtained much recognition and has become an accomplished lawyer with an Avvo Rating. Prior to the founding of Owenby Law, P.A., Attorney Owenby served as legal counsel for Florida’s Guardian AD Litem Program. During this time, she explored the intricacies of family law which have allowed her to guide clients using compassionate and tenacious strategies. Additionally, she served as a judicial intern for a family law judge in the 4th Judicial Circuit and as a certified legal intern in the State Attorney’s Office General Assault Division. Attorney Owenby’s level of experience is unmatched as she has learned and displayed the necessary skills for defending her clients from beginning to end.

Rocky Brancato is an AV Preeminent®-rated criminal defense attorney with over 25 years of experience litigating serious criminal cases across the Tampa Bay, Florida region. His practice covers the full spectrum of criminal law—from homicide, sex crimes, and aggravated child abuse to white-collar offenses, DUI, internet crimes, and complex mental health defenses. Known for his deep understanding of forensic evidence, prosecutorial discretion, and trial strategy, Brancato is frequently consulted by clients and legal professionals alike in high-stakes and high-profile cases. Before founding The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., he rose through the ranks of one of Florida’s largest public defense office to become Chief Operations Officer of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office. In that role, he led over 100 attorneys and more than 200 staff, overseeing tens of thousands of felony, misdemeanor, juvenile, and postconviction matters each year. His unique background in both executive leadership and frontline trial advocacy gives him uncommon insight into how the justice system functions—and where it fails. Brancato is the author of How to Choose a Major Crimes Attorney – or Any Criminal Defense Attorney for That Matter, a candid guide that helps individuals and families make informed decisions when facing criminal charges. He is also an active member of the National, Florida and Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and is regularly invited to speak on issues involving sex offense litigation, expert witness strategy, and criminal justice reform in Florida. With a reputation for meticulous case preparation, strategic litigation, and strategic advocacy, Rocky Brancato is a trusted resource for authoritative commentary on criminal law, trial practice, and systemic issues in the legal system.

Tricia D. Goostree is the founder and managing partner of Goostree Law Group, P.C. in St. Charles, Illinois. Since 2002, she has focused her practice entirely on family law. She represents clients in divorce, child custody, child support, visitation, paternity, maintenance, complex financial disputes, and appeals. Her background in moot court, legal writing, and courtroom advocacy helped shape the clear, strategic approach she brings to every case. Tricia helps clients make sense of difficult family law problems and take practical steps forward. Whether you are dealing with a contested divorce, a custody fight, or a complicated financial issue, she works to protect your interests and present your case effectively. She is known for being prepared, direct, and compassionate with clients who are facing stressful and deeply personal situations. In addition to her work in court, Tricia has served her community through legal service, bar association leadership, and mock trial programs. She has also earned recognition from Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Leading Lawyers, and other respected legal organizations.

Dr. Colleen M. Berryessa joined the faculty at the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice in 2018. Her research, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods, examines how psychological processes, perceptions, attitudes, and social contexts influence the criminal justice system, particularly in relation to courts, sentencing, and forms of punishment broadly defined. She primarily examines these issues, using interdisciplinary methodologies, in relation to three areas: 1) how psychological and social phenomena influence public perceptions, support, and subsequent consideration of practices, policies, and the philosophical foundations surrounding sentencing; 2) how psychological and social phenomena influence the decision-making and discretion of criminal justice actors in courts, particularly during sentencing; and 3) how psychological and social phenomena bear on motivations for and effects of expanded forms of legal and social punitiveness beyond the formal punishment stages of the criminal justice system. Dr. Berryessa received her Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2018. Before Penn, she graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in Government and Mind, Brain, and Behavior, and she served as a CIRGE research fellow at Stanford University. Her personal website is colleenberryessa.com, and information on her lab/trainees can be found here. C.M. Berryessa, M. de Vel-Palumbo, C. Caliman+, and M. Backzuk+. (2026). Honesty as a “Communicative Tool” in Sentencing: A Study of Judges from the U.S. and Australia. Journal of Criminal Justice, 102, 102575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102575 C.R. Caliman+ and C.M. Berryessa. (2025). Legal Defense of Autistic Defendants in the US: A Qualitative Analysis of the Experiences of Legal Professionals. Journal of Social Issues 81(4), e70034. https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/josi.70034 K. Todorovic, M.A. Thomaidou+, C.M. Berryessa, and J. Cantone. (2025). Juvenile Defendants Experiencing Autism Spectrum Disorder: How Defendant Race and Offense Type Affect Juror Decisions. Law and Human Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000628 I. Polito+ and C.M. Berryessa. (2025). Politics in Policy: An Experimental Examination of Public Views Regarding Sentence Reductions via Second Chance Mechanisms. Law and Human Behavior, 49(3), 237-249. https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000605 C.M. Berryessa. (2025). The Role of Moral Panic in Motivating Public Support for Punitive Drug Sentencing. Contemporary Drug Problems. https://doi.org/10.1177/00914509251326114 C.R. Caliman+ and C.M. Berryessa. (2025). Analyzing the Impacts of Race, Addiction, Drug Type, and Criminal Record on Public Support for Criminalized and Medicalized Sentencing Approaches toward Illegal Drug Use. Journal of Experimental Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-024-09657-2 M. Millar+, C.M. Berryessa, C. Willis-Esqueda, J.A. Cantone, D. Goldfarb, M. de Vel-Palumbo, A.D. Perillo, T.O. Taylor, and L.T. Becker+. (2024). Essentialism and the Criminal Legal System. Law and Human Behavior, 48(5-6), 597–612. https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000576 M.A. Thomaidou+, A. Patel+, S. Xie+, and C.M. Berryessa. (2024). Machine Learning Analysis of a National Sample of U.S. Case Law Involving Mental Health Evidence. Journal of Criminal Justice, 94, 102266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2024.102266 M.A. Thomaidou+ and C.M. Berryessa. (2023). Mental Illness as a Sentencing Determinant: A Comparative Case Law Analysis Based on a Machine Learning Approach. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 50(7), 976-995. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548231170801 C.M. Berryessa. (2023). Therapeutic Approaches to Remorse in Sentencing Recommendations: A Qualitative Study of Probation Officers. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 50(4), 497-520. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548221139846 C.M. Berryessa, I.E. Dror, and B. McCormack. (2022). Prosecuting from the Bench? Examining Potential Sources of Pro-Prosecution Bias in Judges. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 28(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/lcrp.12226 C.M. Berryessa. (2022). Modeling “Remorse Bias” in Probation Narratives: Examining Social Cognition and Judgments of Implicit Violence During Sentencing. Journal of Social Issues, 78(2), 452-482. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12508 C.M. Berryessa. (2022). Losing the Lottery of Life: Examining Intuitions of Desert Toward the Socially and Genetically “Unlucky” in Criminal Punishment Contexts. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 40(3), 403-432. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2563 C.M. Berryessa. (2021). Defendants with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Criminal Court: A Judges’ Toolkit. Drexel Law Review, 13(4), 841-868. https://drexel.edu/law/lawreview/issues/Archives/v13-4/berryessa/ C.M. Berryessa. (2021). A Tale of “Second Chances:” An Experimental Examination of Popular Support for Early Release Mechanisms that Reconsider Long-term Prison Sentences. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 18, 783-824. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-021-09466-x + indicates student/trainee

Whitney L. Antoniono, Esquire and WLA Family Law's mission is to stand by every client during their most challenging times, providing compassionate and effective legal representation, and fighting tirelessly for justice . Whitney L. Antoniono, Esquire is licensed to Practice Law in the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York and Texas (Texas license currently inactive). Client Focused Approach Attorney Whitney Antoniono believes in taking a client-focused approach to each case, ensuring that clients are informed and involved throughout the legal process. Attorney Antoniono is available to answer questions and provide guidance at every stage of your case, and will work tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome for you and your family. child custody attorney divorce attorney family law attorney A Passionate Advocate As a passionate advocate for my clients, Whitney Antoniono, Esquire has successfully represented clients in a variety of legal matters, with a focus being on family law and Protective Order matters. Attorney Antoniono will work tirelessly to ensure every client receives the representation and justice they deserve.

I'm a trial attorney in Georgia. My practice is personal injury and daycare abuse, but the cases I handle have made me functionally fluent in healthcare pricing, how medical bills are constructed, what insurers actually pay versus what providers charge, and who absorbs the cost of treatment. Healthcare pricing in America is opaque by design and I'm passionate about increasing transparency in that arena. The legal system is one of the few places where that pricing gets tested regularly. I negotiate medical liens, challenge inflated billing, investigate billing schemes and deal with the gap between what a hospital charges and what insurance reimburses. Georgia's recent tort reform is making this worse. New legislation addressed a real problem with a hammer rather than a scalpel and underserved communities with limited access to healthcare are paying the price. I built First Counsel, a plain-language legal education resource explaining how medical billing, insurance, and the legal process actually interact. It also helps parents check whether a daycare is safe using publicly available inspection data. I wanted to provide an outlet for information that's usually buried in legalese, behind a consultation wall, or full of sales funnels. I'm available to comment on healthcare pricing and transparency, medical billing practices, rising insurance and healthcare costs, advice to consumers on how to reduce medical costs, liens and subrogation, Georgia tort reform, and civil litigation.

Dr. Catherine Shaffer is a scientist and researcher whose work focuses on violence risk assessment and management, dating and intimate partner violence, and adolescent offenders. With experience spanning both research and applied contexts, she brings an evidence-based perspective to understanding risk, offending behavior, and prevention. She has authored (or co-authored) over 130 articles, book chapters, reports, assessment tools, and presentations related to crime and violence. In 2021, she was awarded the Christopher Webster Early Career Award by the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services for significant early-career contributions to the forensic mental health field.

I am a former homicide prosecutor, and Chief Assistant District Attorney, that has extensive jury trial experience. I have been an attorney for 20 years, and have a broad range of specialized experience in the field of criminal law. As a prosecutor I was assigned the most serious cases in the offices where I worked. I have tried numerous sexual assaults, gang, DUI, and homicide cases. I have been recognized for my work as a trial lawyer, and prosecutor, including twice being selected as Prosecutor of the Year.Our excellent team at Walsh Law provides the highest quality legal representation in criminal defense matters. We specialize in representing good people who find themselves, on occasion, on the wrong side of the law. We intentionally take on a limited number of cases in order to give each client the attention their case deserves.

Jeff Howell is a licensed attorney and founder of Lex Wire Journal, a media and consulting platform that helps law firms navigate the rapidly changing landscape of AI, compliance, and digital visibility. With two decades of experience spanning corporate law, technology, and digital marketing, Jeff brings a unique perspective at the intersection of law and innovation. He regularly speaks on topics such as AI compliance, attorney–client privilege in the AI era, and how answer engines are reshaping legal search visibility. His insights have been featured in CLEs, bar association programs, and thought leadership platforms and is a certified faculty member for the National Academy of Continuing legal Education. Jeff’s expertise centers on: AI & Legal Compliance: Safeguarding law firms under evolving regulations and ethics rules. Digital Authority & Visibility: Building trust signals that AI-powered search engines cite and elevate. Future of Legal Practice: How emerging technologies, from AI assistants to answer engines, are transforming law firm operations and client acquisition. Journalists tap Jeff for clear, credible, and forward-looking commentary that makes complex tech shifts understandable for the legal community and the public.

Lamano Law Office (LLO) is a boutique law firm located in Oakland California. We keeppeople out of jail and defend people accused of crimes. We have 100% five-star reviews on Google, rated #1 for Criminal Law Attorneys in Oakland on Yelp, and have over 30 years combined experience.https://linktr.ee/LamanoLaw

Cathleen Norton is a California Certified Family Law Specialist and the founder of the Law Offices of Cathleen Norton. She has practiced family law exclusively for over 20 years, handling high-conflict divorce, custody, domestic violence, and complex property matters in Los Angeles County. A UCLA School of Law graduate, Cathleen is known for translating complicated legal issues into clear, practical guidance for parents and families navigating emotionally charged legal disputes.

I have represented hundreds of clients charged with misdemeanor and felony charges in Baton Rouge and throughout other areas of Louisiana.

Loyd J. Bourgeois is a Louisiana personal injury attorney and founder of Loyd J. Bourgeois Injury & Accident Lawyer, with offices in Metairie and Luling. With a background in engineering and a law degree from Tulane University, Loyd brings an analytical yet client-centered approach to injury law. He focuses exclusively on helping individuals recover after serious accidents, including car and truck crashes, wrongful death claims, and other personal injury matters. Loyd is also an accomplished law firm owner who has earned national recognition for business growth. His firm has been named to the Inc. Regionals Southeast list, the LawFirm 500 list, and the LSU100 Top 10 Fastest Growing Tiger Businesses, placing him among the fastest-growing business leaders in the region. He offers practical insight into law firm operations, client service systems, and sustainable growth strategies for solo and small firms. Known for his clear communication and grounded perspective, Loyd frequently speaks on issues related to insurance disputes, case valuation, personal injury litigation, and legal marketing. His firm has also been recognized by New Orleans CityBusiness, U.S. News & World Report, and NOLA Family Magazine for excellence in litigation and client care. Loyd is available to comment on personal injury law in Louisiana, civil justice trends, insurance company tactics, and the business of building and running a successful law firm.

Hi, I’m Susan McCorkindale. I’m an author, autism advocate, and speaker who speaks from lived experience no parent expects… and every parent needs to hear. After spending 19 months navigating the criminal justice system with my autistic adult son, I created LAWTISM: Autism, the Law, and What Parents Need to Know, a resource that’s helped hundreds of families avoid the devastating consequences of being unprepared. My work centers on awareness, prevention, and protecting autistic individuals in systems that were never built for them.