Firm Overview
Skilled Criminal Defense Law Firm Serving Central Florida
"Our firm is committed to representing you to the utmost degree leveraging our many years of experience and knowledge...we are here to serve your needs."
Joerg. F. Jaeger David H. Novack William "Bill" Brown Matthews R. Bark F. Wesley "Buck" Blankner
ALL of our Attorneys are FORMER PROSECUTORS
As former Florida prosecutors who understand how the state prepares criminal cases, we are able to identify and exploit weaknesses in the state's case, which can result in a dismissal or reduction in charges, or to minimize penaltiesWhen you are facing criminal charges, you want the experienced attorneys of Jaeger & Blankner on your side. The only type of law we practice is the defense of criminal charges such as DUI, drug possession, drug trafficking, theft, robbery, burglary, all sex crimes, domestic violence, white-collar crimes, federal conspiracy charges, juvenile crimes and homicide/murder. Our years of experience have earned us a listing in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, as well as an AV® Peer Review Rating.
WE WILL FIGHT to get the best outcome available for you. This could be through plea negotiations, suppression motions, or
TRIAL BY JURY. We will not stop until each and every avenue available to you has been exhausted. If you elect to fight and exercise your constitutional right to trial by jury and the jury returns a guilty verdict, we will continue to fight by appealing your case to the higher court.
--Joerg F. Jaeger, 2009
When you are in the process of searching for an attorney ask what their fees are. Then ask what their fees are IF you want to exercise your constitutional right to trial by jury. Most firms in Central Florida will provide you with two quotes: A fee for "pleaing your case out" and a fee for actually trying your case in front of a jury.
Here at the firm of Jaeger & Blankner, we quote one fee so you are not pressured into shortchanging yourself AND your case by "pleaing out" in order to avoid the "additional" fee for a jury trial. What sets us apart from most firms is that we are trial attorneys. We will try your case!!
We are Board-Certified Criminal Trial lawyers
Both Joerg F. Jaeger and F. Wesley "Buck" Blankner, Jr. are Florida Bar-Criminal Trial lawyers. Board-certification 
means that we are considered experts in criminal trial law by the Florida state bar. With over 87,000 attorneys practicing in the state of Florida, less than 1% of lawyers are Bar-Certified Criminal Trial Lawyers.
What does this mean? Well, according to the Florida Bar, Certification is the highest level of evaluation by the Florida Bar of the competency and experience of attorneys in the areas of law approved for certification by the Supreme Court of Florida. The Florida Bar's Board Certification Program was created in 1982 based on the Florida Supreme court's mandate to the Florida Bar to offer a "Board Certification" program for Florida Bar members. The purpose of the Board Certification program was to assist the public in making an informed decision when seeking and selecting a lawyer. Bar-Certified attorneys are the only lawyers allowed to identify themselves as "Florida Bar Board Certified,""Experts" or "Specialists."
Former Florida Bar President John G. "Jay" White, III stated "Florida's board certification program is one of the leaders in the nation in maintaining the highest standards for excellence and professionalism while adding practice areas for greater public access to legal specialists. The program is predicated on experience and integrity, the foundations that are inseparable from our work as lawyers to advance the administration of justice."
In obtaining and maintaining Board Certification, both Joerg F. Jaeger and F. Wesley "Buck" Blankner satisfied the following criteria:
- Minimum number years of law practice in the specific field
- Tried a minimum number of misdemeanor and felony criminal trials.
- Been recommended by other lawyers and judges for satisfactory peer review assessment of competence in the criminal field as well as character, ethics and professionalism in the practice of law.
- Pass a written examination demonstrating knowledge, skill, and proficiency in the field of criminal trial law.
We have earned an AV® Peer Review Rating
Our years of experience have earned us a listing in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, as well as an AV® Peer Review Rating. According to Martindale-Hubbell, a Martindale-Hubbell rating guides buyers of legal services and those referring business in making faster, smarter decisions. A rating's third party validation of ethics and legal ability provides that extra level of confidence that the right lawyer or firm has been selected. By combining a rating with a review of other data in a lawyer's Professional Biography - such as practice areas, bar memberships, professional affiliations, education and clients - a person can be certain he or she has made the right choice for that particular legal matter.Buyers of legal services, as well as those making referrals, consider Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings invaluable
when evaluating a lawyer. Whether choosing between two equally qualified candidates or looking for counsel in another jurisdiction, lawyers and consumers need to have confidence in the individual under consideration. Using ratings, they can select counsel with superior ethics, as well as the desired level of professional experience. Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings attest to a lawyer's legal ability and professional ethics, and reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and Judiciary.There are two components to each Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating:
1. Legal Ability Ratings Legal Ability Ratings take into consideration the standard of professional ability in the area where the lawyer practices, the lawyer's expertise, and other professional qualifications. If a lawyer's practice is limited or specialized, Peer Review Ratings are based on performance in those specific fields of law. Legal Ability Ratings are: C - Good to High; B - High to Very High; A - Very High to Preeminent
2. General Ethical Standards Rating The General Ethical Standards Rating denotes adherence to professional standards of conduct and ethics, reliability, diligence and other criteria relevant to the discharge of professional responsibilities. The General Recommendation Rating is: V - Very High. A lawyer will not receive a Legal Ability Rating unless he or she has been endorsed for a "V."
- AV® Peer Review Rating — An AV® certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment - a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.
