sunEthics
Covering legal ethics, judicial ethics, bar admissions in Florida, Tennessee, and nationally. See our Subject Index to past postings.
An order prohibiting a party (who is a lawyer) to a lawsuit from representing herself and prohibiting her husband (a lawyer) from representing her is reversed . . . (see more) [Added 10/14/25]
The Third DCA reverses an order allowing a party to depose opposing counsel . . . (see more) [Added 10/9/25]
A purported reservation of a demand for attorney’s fees in connection with voluntary dismissal of a petition for workers’ compensation benefits is ineffective to toll the statute of limitations . . . (see more) [Added 10/6/25]
An order by a Judge of Compensation Claims disqualifying a law firm is affirmed . . . (see more) [Added 10/2/25]
The Supreme Court amends Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.850 regarding claims of ineffective assistance for failure to call witnesses . . . (see more) [Added 9/29/25]
The Supreme Court disbars, rather than suspends, a lawyer for intentional misconduct including undisclosed conflicts of interest and diverting trust funds to an entity with which he was affiliated . . . (see more) [Added 9/25/25]
The University of Florida posts the state's highest first-time taker pass rate for the July 2025 general bar examination . . . (see more) [Added 9/22/25]
In affirming a judgment, the Second DCA rejects arguments regarding the judge’s disqualification and reiterates that the movant’s asserted concern about bias must be objectively reasonable . . . (see more) [Added 9/18/25]
In reversing a summary judgment for defendants, the Fourth DCA rules that settling the underlying action did not result in abandonment of a legal malpractice cause of action . . . (see more) [Added 9/15/25]
A new trial order based on alleged juror non-disclosure is reversed . . . (see more) [Added 9/11/25]
The Second DCA refers a lawyer to the Florida Bar for filing an answer brief replete with citations to fake cases . . . (see more) [Added 9/8/25]
The Third DCA issues an order to show cause based on a party’s citations to fake cases and unsupported propositions . . . (see more) [Added 9/4/25]
The Florida Supreme Court amends Bar rules regarding judicial referrals to the Florida Bar and the provision of the Code for Resolving Professionalism Referrals dealing with Bar referrals back to Local Professionalism Panels when no discipline or diversion was imposed . . . (see more) [Added 9/2/25]
The Fourth DCA points out that the standards for use of generative AI (artificial intelligence) in court filings apply equally to pro se litigants and lawyers . . . (see more) [Added 8/15/25]
The Supreme Court fines, reprimands, and suspends a judge for 10 days for 3 separate incidents in which she violated the Code of Judicial Conduct . . . (see more) [Added 7/21/25]
Two lawyers are suspended for 30 days for violations relating to their comments about a judge and the judiciary after a decision against their client in a racial discrimination case . . . (see more) [Added 7/7/25]
The Supreme Court suspends a lawyer for 90 days instead of the recommended 10 days for conduct related to her departure from a law firm, but declines to find a violation of Rule 4-5.8 . . . (see more) [Added 6/23/25]
The Professional Ethics Committee publishes a proposed advisory opinion on lawyers’ ethical participation in listservs and online discussion groups . . . (see more) [Added 6/16/25]
The Supreme Court amends rules governing interim suspension of a lawyer charged with a felony that “reflects adversely on the lawyer’s fitness to practice law” . . . (see more) [Added 6/9/25]
The Supreme Court amends rules regarding ad filing fees and creates a filing exemption for ads by legal aid organizations . . . (see more) [Added 5/27/25]
The Supreme Court rejects the referee’s recommendation of a reprimand and instead suspends a lawyer for 2 years for criminally assaulting his wife . . . (see more) [Added 5/16/25]
The Supreme Court amends Rule 6-10.3 to allow lawyers to obtain CLE credit for performing pro bono service . . . (see more) [Added 11/1/24]
The Supreme Court approves changes to rules regarding lawyers’ use of generative artificial intelligence, advertisements with celebrity clients or former clients, “zealous” representation, and lawyers indefinitely suspended for more than 91 days . . . (see more) [Added 9/2/24]
The Supreme Court acts on Bar recommendations designed to improve professionalism in the legal profession, including amending CLE requirements . . . (see more) [Added 7/10/23]
The Supreme Court grants the Florida Bar’s petition to amend the confidentiality rule in two respects, including adding a provision addressing responses to negative online reviews . . . (see more) [Added 3/16/23]
Responding to a petition from the Bar, the Supreme Court amends bar rules various subjects including lawyer advertising, dealing with clients with diminished capacity, inventory attorneys, and confidentiality in the disciplinary system . . . (see more) [Added 3/4/22]
The Supreme Court amends Rule 4-5.5 to conform to the UPL advisory opinion permitting lawyers licensed in other states to work remotely from Florida for extended time periods on matters not involving Florida . . . (see more) [Added 2/18/22]
NEW in Florida Legal Ethics . . .