Kachergus, Matthew R.
Matthew R. Kachergus is a lifelong resident of Jacksonville, Florida, attending both elementary and high school in the area. After graduating from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Kachergus decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and become an attorney. After working for the Office of the Public Defender, Fourth Judicial Circuit, in the Office’s Investigations Division, Mr. Kachergus attended the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he graduated in 1999. While at law school, Mr. Kachergus received book awards for contracts and international business transactions.
After graduating from law school, Mr. Kachergus went to work at Sheppard, White, Kachergus & DeMaggio, P.A. Over his twenty-year career, Mr. Kachergus has successfully represented a wide variety of clients facing an array of criminal charges, including individuals whose Constitutional rights have been violated as well as individuals in civil litigation matters and appeals.
Mr. Kachergus’ tenacious representation and devotion to clients has led to inclusions in Best Lawyers in America in White Collar and Non-White Collar Criminal Defense, Civil Rights, and Appellate Practice. Additionally, Mr. Kachergus has been named as a Super Lawyer in the field of criminal defense. Mr. Kachergus is a member of both the National and Florida Associations of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Mr. Kachergus focuses on representing clients in criminal and civil rights cases. He has specific experience in cases involving police misconduct, police dog bites, excessive force, taser use, and false arrests.
He is admitted to The Florida Bar and is a member of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and Federal Circuit, the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida, as well as the district of Columbia. Mr. Kachergus was a Barrister in the Chester Bedell Inn of Court from 2009 – 2012 and from 2017 - 2020 a member of the First District Court of Appeal Inn of Court.
- Criminal Law
- Civil Rights
- Appellate Practice
- Administrative Law, including Professional Discipline Civil Litigations
- University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida
- J.D. - 1999
- Honors: Contracts & International Business Transactions, Book Awards
- Emory University
- B.A. - 1993
- Major: Political Science and Philosophy
- Florida, 2001
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 2001
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 2002
- Supreme Court of the United States of America, 2007
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 2013
- U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit, 2014
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 2016
- U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, 2021
- Voted one of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Non-White Collar Criminal Defense, White Collar Criminal Defense, Appellate Practice and Civil Rights
- Super Lawyers - Criminal Defense
- The Florida Bar
- American Bar Association
- Jacksonville Bar Association
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Partner