Criminal Defense Lawyer in Palm Bay

Every Attorney Is Board-Certified. All Three Work Your Case.

An arrest, a criminal charge, or word that you’re under investigation can upend your life in a single moment. You may be worried about your freedom, your family, and your career. You may not know who to trust. At Funk, Szachacz & Diamond, our criminal defense attorneys serve clients throughout Palm Bay and Brevard County, and we’re available to help you understand what you’re facing and what your options are from the start.

To speak directly with our Palm Bay criminal defense lawyers and schedule a confidential consultation, call us today at (321) 360-4446.

How Palm Bay Criminal Cases Move Through the Courts

Once an arrest occurs or a warrant is served, your case enters the Brevard County court system. Most matters originating in Palm Bay are heard at the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Justice Center in Viera, the primary courthouse for criminal proceedings in this part of the county. Which court handles your case depends on the type and level of the charge alleged.

Arrests in Palm Bay typically involve the Palm Bay Police Department or the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. After an arrest, you’ll have an initial appearance before a judge, where bond and release conditions are addressed. From there, the process moves through arraignment, pretrial hearings, and motion hearings and, if necessary, trial. The State Attorney’s Office for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit prosecutes these cases, and its charging decisions can directly shape how negotiations proceed. Our attorneys appear regularly in these courts and know how cases move through this system.

What to Do After an Arrest or Investigation

Practical steps you can take to protect yourself include:

• Stay calm and avoid arguments with officers. Conduct during arrest is often documented and may surface in court.
• Assert your right to remain silent and your right to an attorney, and don’t answer questions until you’ve spoken with counsel.
• Preserve anything that may support your defense: text messages, call logs, emails, or contact information for witnesses.
• Don’t discuss your case on social media, by text, or in recorded calls from jail. The prosecution can obtain those communications.
• Contact a criminal defense attorney as early as possible so you receive guidance specific to your charges and circumstances.

Why Palm Bay Clients Choose Funk, Szachacz & Diamond

When the stakes are serious, the credential behind your defense matters. Every attorney at Funk, Szachacz & Diamond is a Florida Bar Board-Certified Criminal Trial Specialist, a designation held by fewer than one percent of attorneys in Florida. Earning that certification requires meeting rigorous standards for trial experience, peer review, and legal knowledge, and it must be renewed every five years. Many firms have one certified attorney. Here, every attorney on your case carries that credential.

A Collaborative Team Behind Every Case

We apply a collaborative model in which all three partners review and strategize on every case file. A Palm Bay client facing serious charges gets the combined perspective of three board-certified trial lawyers, not a single generalist. Our attorneys have served as lead counsel in thousands of cases and hundreds of jury trials, from local misdemeanors to complex federal indictments. We’ve represented judges, doctors, and law enforcement officers in matters that demanded both sophisticated advocacy and a high level of discretion.

Credentials That Reach Beyond the Courtroom

Members of the firm have served on the Florida Bar’s Board Certification Committee for Criminal Trial Law. Our attorneys are admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and are included on the approved counsel list for the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Before joining the firm, they served as Assistant State Attorneys and Felony Division Chiefs. That experience provides direct insight into how prosecutors build and present their cases.

Criminal Cases We Handle for Palm Bay Clients

We represent clients throughout Palm Bay and Brevard County across a wide range of serious state and federal charges. Our depth in complex litigation goes well beyond a standard case list.

Representative categories include:

• Homicide and violent offenses, including allegations of murder, aggravated battery, and weapons-related charges.
• Sex-related charges that carry registration requirements and significant long-term collateral consequences.
• Major drug cases, including trafficking and multi-defendant conspiracy allegations in both state and federal court.
• White-collar and federal financial crimes, including fraud, public corruption, and multi-state schemes. Our attorneys have secured acquittals in cases involving hundreds of counts of federal fraud and have handled landmark prosecutions involving NASA.
• Use-of-force and self-defense matters, supported by our Force Science certification, which supports an analytical, evidence-based defense in these cases.
• Post-conviction relief and appellate matters, including appearances before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, for clients seeking to challenge prior outcomes.

Federal cases carry distinct procedural rules, sentencing guidelines, and prosecution resources that differ significantly from state court. We’re experienced in both environments and have handled charges that had never before been prosecuted at the federal level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Handle Serious Felony Charges in Palm Bay?

Yes. We represent clients facing serious felony allegations that may involve significant prison exposure, complex evidence, or public attention. We defend people charged in cases arising from Palm Bay and throughout Brevard County. During a consultation, we can review the accusations and explain how we approach matters of that level.

Will You Be in Court with Me at the Hearings?

When we’re retained, our attorneys appear with clients at scheduled court hearings, unless a particular event doesn’t require a personal appearance. We prepare you for each stage, explain what to expect at every hearing, and speak on your behalf in court. You won’t be navigating this process alone.

How Involved Will I Be in Decisions About My Case?

You remain at the center of every major decision. We provide analysis, explain your options and their potential consequences, and make recommendations, but choices like whether to accept a negotiated resolution or proceed to trial are yours to make. We encourage questions and ongoing communication so that your decisions are informed and deliberate.

Talk With Our Palm Bay Criminal Defense Team

At Funk, Szachacz & Diamond, all three attorneys hold Florida Bar Board Certification as Criminal Trial Specialists, and all three work collaboratively on every case. We appear regularly in the Brevard County courts that handle Palm Bay matters, and we’re accustomed to the demands of complex, high-stakes litigation. When you contact us, we take the time to understand your situation, answer your questions honestly, and discuss the path forward in plain terms, without judgment.

To speak with our Palm Bay criminal defense attorneys and schedule a confidential consultation, call us today at (321) 360-4446.