9 south florida lawyers disciplined, including an attorney who won a judicial election

What is attorney misconduct in Florida?

Rule 4-8.4. Misconduct. Currentness. A lawyer shall not: (a) violate or attempt to violate the Rules of Professional Conduct, knowingly assist or induce another to do so, or do so through.

What lawyer has the most wins?

Gerald Leonard Spence (born January 8, 1929) is a semi-retired American trial lawyer. He is a member of the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame. Spence has never lost a criminal case before a jury either as a prosecutor or a defense attorney, and has not lost a civil case since 1969.

Who regulates Florida lawyers?

The Florida BarAs an official agency of the Supreme Court of Florida, The Florida Bar and its Division of Lawyer Regulation are charged with the administration of a statewide disciplinary system to enforce Supreme Court rules of professional conduct of more than 110,000 lawyers admitted to practice law in Florida.

Are Florida Bar complaints confidential?

The rules of the Supreme Court of Florida require the Bar (staff, investigators, and grievance committee members) to treat inquiries and complaints pending with Bar counsel and grievance committees as confidential matters.

Is Kim Kardashian a lawyer?

The road to becoming a lawyer has not been entirely smooth for Kardashian. Since 2019, she had taken California's baby bar exam four times, failing it the first three times. She finally passed it in late 2021. However, Kim Kardashian is not a lawyer yet.

Who is the most famous lawyer of all time?

Four Famous Lawyers in History Every Attorney Should KnowJoe Jamail (aka King of Torts) During his time, Joe Jamail was the richest attorney in the United States and some would argue one of the most famous prosecutors to litigate. ... Abraham Lincoln (aka Honest Abe) ... Clarence Darrow. ... Mary Jo White.

What is the most common complaint against lawyers?

Perhaps the most common kinds of complaints against lawyers involve delay or neglect. This doesn't mean that occasionally you've had to wait for a phone call to be returned. It means there has been a pattern of the lawyer's failing to respond or to take action over a period of months.

What is an attorney vs lawyer?

However, when practising law, lawyers can only provide legal assistance, advice, and counselling to their clients while an attorney can represent clients in court and initiate defendant prosecutions in addition to providing legal counsel and consultation.

Are Florida state attorneys elected?

The Statewide Prosecutor is appointed by the Attorney General from a list of nominees selected by the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission. The Statewide Prosecutor serves a term of four years and acts as the agency head for eight offices throughout the state.

How do I file a complaint with the Florida state attorney?

Dial 911 instead. In addition, please report known or suspected abuse/neglect/exploitation of a child or vulnerable adult to the state's Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 or online at https://reportabuse.dcf.state.fl.us or call 911.

Who oversees the Florida Bar?

the Florida Supreme Court1. The Florida Bar Regulates the Practice of Law in Florida. The Florida Bar is charged by the Florida Supreme Court with lawyer regulation as its core function to protect the public and the integrity of the judicial system.

What is the Florida Bar Grievance Committee?

Local grievance committees are composed of lawyers and nonlawyers and are responsible for continuing the investigation of possible lawyer misconduct referred by Bar discipline attorneys.

Is it possible to win every case as a lawyer?

Legal practitioners who have never lost a case are not in litigation. Lawyers in non-litigious areas of law can win every case because they have better control of the outcome of their cases.

What are the big 4 law firms?

Attracting talent. Lawyers working for KPMG, Ernst & Young (EY), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and Deloitte—the Big Four—is not a new phenomenon. The big accounting firms, which now describe themselves as professional services firms, have been recruiting lawyers for years. And they continue to do so at a high rate.

How much do top lawyers make?

Well, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for attorneys in the US is less than $120K. The highest-paid lawyers (10% of the legal workforce) make over $208K. However, the top 1% of attorneys make $500K or more per year.

Who won the most cases before the Supreme Court?

CARTER G. PHILLIPS is one of the most experienced Supreme Court and appellate lawyers in the country. Since joining Sidley, Carter has argued 79 cases before the Supreme Court, more than any other lawyer in private practice.

What is the Florida Bar?

As an official arm of the Florida Supreme Court, The Florida Bar and its Department of Lawyer Regulation are charged with administering a statewide disciplinary system to enforce Supreme Court rules of professional conduct for the more than 109,000 members of The Florida Bar. Key discipline case files that are public record are posted to attorneys’ individual online Florida Bar profiles. To view discipline documents, follow these steps. Information on the discipline system and how to file a complaint are available at www.floridabar.org/attorneydiscipline.

When was the Florida Bar founded?

Founded in 1949 , The Florida Bar serves the legal profession for the protection and benefit of both the public and all Florida lawyers. As one of the nation’s largest mandatory bars, The Florida Bar fosters and upholds a high standard of integrity and competence within Florida’s legal profession as an official arm of the Florida Supreme Court. To learn more, visit FloridaBar.org.

Is the Florida Bar an association?

EDITORS: Please note The Florida Bar is not an association and "Association" is not part of our name. Proper reference is "The Florida Bar." Local bar organizations are properly termed "associations."

Which court in Florida does the disciplining?

The Florida Supreme Court, which does the disciplining, frowned on such unsolicited spiritual advice as well as other actions detailed below.

How long does it take for a lawyer to be disbarred from a discipline?

If disciplinary revocation is granted by the state Supreme Court, the attorney is disbarred, in effect, usually for five years before the attorney can reapply for readmission. The discipline case goes away without any finding of guilt or acquittal.

Why was Scheflin suspended?

She’s going for disciplinary revocation. As previously reported in the Miami Herald, Scheflin was suspended 18 months for not properly supervising longtime employee Martha Bernal in 2018.

What is the charge against Castrataro?

Castrataro is facing one count of communications fraud over $50,000 and one count of grand theft in the first degree.

Has the bar reacted to the Bonner case?

The Bar says Bonner hasn’t responded to Bar grievance requests in this case. The state Supreme Court has found her in contempt of court and suspended her until she gets back to the Bar in writing.

Can a discipline case go away?

The discipline case goes away without any finding of guilt or acquittal. Any alleged criminal acts involved in the discipline case, however, can be prosecuted in criminal court, as in one of the cases that follows.

Who is hurt by SLF?

Among the groups hurt by SLF’s actions, the Bar listed “the public, which relies heavily upon the judicial resources consumed by SLF’s case load; Florida homeowners, whose insurance premiums ultimately fund both sides of SLF’s cases...”

Why was Curtis Lee Allen reprimanded?

Curtis Lee Allen, of Temple Terrace, received a public reprimand for unprofessional conduct and was ordered to attend Professionalism Workshop effective immediately after a Feb. 4 court order. In one matter, Allen became unprofessional in his questioning of a witness who he believed was repeatedly lying. In another case, the trial court entered an order stating it had to intervene and set case management directives for both Allen and opposing counsel due to their unprofessional behavior toward each other. In a third matter, the trial court entered an order finding that Allen engaged in unprofessional and aggressive behavior.

When was Stephen Hillebrand disbarred?

Stephen Hillebrand, of Sarasota, was disbarred effective March 6. Hillebrand failed to diligently represent three clients; failed to reasonably communicate with the clients; and failed to complete the client’s representation to the detriment of the clients. Hillebrand failed to appear at his scheduled sworn statement and failed to participate in the disciplinary proceedings.

How long was Siddiqui suspended?

A. Siddiqui, of St. Augustine, is suspended for three years effective March 3. In one matter, Siddiqui failed to competently and timely pursue the client’s family law matter and misrepresented to the client the status of the case. In a second matter, Siddiqui failed to competently represent the client in his criminal case and failed to appear for jury selection. In a third matter, Siddiqui failed to appear for court and misrepresented to the court that he did not receive notice of the court hearing.

How many times was Davie stabbed?

Victim of Davie murder was stabbed more than 20 times . How long she remained alive and aware is the question.

How often does the bar release sanctions?

The Bar releases an official list of sanctions once a month, targeting attorneys accused of violating the standards of the legal profession. All of the descriptions below are provided by the Bar.

Did Siddiqui appear in court?

In a third matter, Siddiqui failed to appear for court and misrepresented to the court that he did not receive notice of the court hearing. Erik Donald Ulano, of Spring Hill, was disbarred effective immediately after a Feb. 18 court order.

Did Hillebrand appear at his scheduled sworn statement?

Hillebrand failed to appear at his scheduled sworn statement and failed to participate in the disciplinary proceedings. Diane Marie McGuire, of Key Largo, is publicly reprimanded effective immediately after a Feb. 11 court order. McGuire was found in contempt of court for failing to respond to official Bar inquiries.

What Other Government Bodies Can Discipline Judges for Misconduct?

In addition to the JQC process, the Florida House of Representatives has authority to impeach judges, who then are tried for misconduct in the Florida Senate. Judges are removed from office by impeachment if found guilty by the Senate. Apart from impeachment, only the JQC can recommend forms of discipline, which must be approved by the Florida Supreme Court. There are no other methods of disciplining judges for ethical misconduct authorized by Florida law, although all Florida judges can be voted out of office in regular elections.

What Kinds of Discipline Can a Judge Receive?

Possible forms of discipline can include one or more of the following:

Why Doesn't the Supreme Court Impose Discipline as Soon as the JQC Makes Its Recommendation?

Final authority to determine whether the JQC's recommendation is legally correct rests with the Supreme Court after the parties have had a chance to make arguments according to the Rules of Procedure. This means that the parties have a right to file briefs making separate arguments to the Supreme Court unless the judge waives that right, to file appropriate motions , and to request that the Court schedule the case for oral arguments.

How Must a Complaint be Filed?

Complaints can be filed using a Complaint Form provided by the JQC. Complaints cannot be filed with the Supreme Court, only with the JQC. For more information, check the JQC Website. Be sure to check out the JQC's webpage about Understanding the JQC Complaint Process.

What Are the Ethics Standards for State Judges?

The ethical standards for judges are called the Code of Judicial Conduct . They apply to all sitting judges at all levels of the state courts system, including county judges, circuit judges, district court of appeal judges, and Florida Supreme Court judges. Canon 7 of the Code also applies to anyone seeking judicial office, such as in an election.

How Is the JQC Structured?

The JQC is divided into two panels, an "investigative panel" that acts much like a prosecutor, and a "hearing panel" that acts much like a panel of judges reviewing the case. Judges accused of misconduct often are represented by a private attorney.

When Do Proceedings Become Public?

The Constitution specifically makes all ethical complaints against judges confidential. Confidentiality ends only when the JQC investigative panel files with the Supreme Court a Notice of Formal Charges. This is a public record and is the first public announcement that a formal investigation is underway. It is much like a finding of probable cause in a criminal investigation. However, this document alone does not give the Supreme Court any authority to commence proceedings of its own. Until the investigative stage is complete, the Supreme Court merely acts as the custodian of public records filed with it in the pending investigation. Any further action at this point will be undertaken by the JQC.