Odiator Arugu was reprimanded and placed on probation for two years, following a Feb. 12 court order. Arugu did not properly maintain his trust account records to support disbursement and receipt of funds to the account; nor did he properly maintain client ledgers and journals. An audit of Arugu's trust records for May 2005 through December 2007 indicated that Arugu was not in compliance with Florida Bar rules regulating trust accounts.
Gregory R. Deal was suspended until further order, following a Jan. 5 court order. According to an emergency suspension order, Deal appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating funds held in trust. The Bar's audit showed that in October 2008, Deal's trust account had a shortage of more than $65,000, which was created by Deal writing checks to himself.
Jay Charles Floyd was suspended until further order, following a Dec. 23, 2008 court order. According to an emergency suspension order, Jay Charles Floyd appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating funds from his trust account. In one instance, a check for $11,000 written on Floyd's trust account was returned due to insufficient funds. In a second matter, Floyd received a settlement in the amount of $5,500 for a personal injury client. He admitted to misappropriating the money for his personal use.
Laura L. Hess was disbarred for five years, effective immediately, following a Jan. 15 court order. Among Hess' violations, she operated a law firm in which her partner was a non-lawyer; she led clients to believe she had deposited their funds in trust accounts, when in fact, she had not; her law firms letterhead improperly reflected addresses for out-of-state law offices; and Hess allowed individuals not licensed to practice law in Florida to represent clients.
Michael Edward Hill was disbarred, effective immediately, following a Feb. 12 court order. Hill admitted that he did not follow The Florida Bar's required rules regarding trust accounts. In May 2008, the Bar was informed by a bank that Hill's trust account check of more than $9,000 had been returned for insufficient funds. The Bar then served Hill with a subpoena for bank account records and other documents. Hill neglected to produce all of the requested items.
Erik Owen Leavell was disbarred effective 30 days from a Feb. 12 court order. In June 2008, The Florida Bar was informed by a bank that Leavell's trust account had a negative balance of more than $18,000. The Bar served Leavell with a subpoena for bank account records, which he failed to produce.
Raymond Earl Miller was disbarred effective 30 days from a Jan. 8 court order. After a complaint was filed against Miller, alleging delays in making the final disbursement in an estate, he made the payment, but failed to provide an accounting. An examination of Miller's trust account records and ledger cards revealed that he failed to maintain a balance in the trust account sufficient to cover the estate. He also failed to maintain records required by The Florida Bar's rules.
Jolyon Wilson Morris was placed on probation for two years, effective immediately, following a Feb. 5 court order. An investigation of Morris' trust account revealed that he was not in compliance with basic trust account rules as required by The Florida Bar, including client ledger cards, receipt and disbursement journals and bank and client reconciliations.
Okechukwu Josiah Odunna was suspended until further order, following a Jan. 5 court order. According to an emergency suspension order, Odunna appeared to be causing great public harm. He failed to record at least 17 original deeds and 21 original mortgages, exposing a title insurance fund to more than $10 million in claims exposure. A Florida Bar compliance audit of Odunna's trust accounting records determined that he misappropriated more than $370,000 in client funds.
Ronald Thomas Rider was suspended until further order, following a Dec. 23, 2008 court order. According to an emergency suspension order, Rider appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating funds held in trust. An audit by The Florida Bar found that Rider had a shortage in his trust account of more than $63,000 as of July 1, 2008, and $87,000 as of Nov. 13, 2008.
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Pensacola lawyer one of 35 disciplined by the state courts
Gregory R. Deal was suspended until further order, following a Jan. 5 court order. According to an emergency suspension order, Deal appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating funds held in trust. The Bar's audit showed that in October 2008, Deal's trust account had a shortage of more than $65,000, which was created by Deal writing checks to himself.
Jay Charles Floyd was suspended until further order, following a Dec. 23, 2008 court order. According to an emergency suspension order, Jay Charles Floyd appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating funds from his trust account. In one instance, a check for $11,000 written on Floyd's trust account was returned due to insufficient funds. In a second matter, Floyd received a settlement in the amount of $5,500 for a personal injury client. He admitted to misappropriating the money for his personal use.
Laura L. Hess was disbarred for five years, effective immediately, following a Jan. 15 court order. Among Hess' violations, she operated a law firm in which her partner was a non-lawyer; she led clients to believe she had deposited their funds in trust accounts, when in fact, she had not; her law firms letterhead improperly reflected addresses for out-of-state law offices; and Hess allowed individuals not licensed to practice law in Florida to represent clients.
Michael Edward Hill was disbarred, effective immediately, following a Feb. 12 court order. Hill admitted that he did not follow The Florida Bar's required rules regarding trust accounts. In May 2008, the Bar was informed by a bank that Hill's trust account check of more than $9,000 had been returned for insufficient funds. The Bar then served Hill with a subpoena for bank account records and other documents. Hill neglected to produce all of the requested items.
Erik Owen Leavell was disbarred effective 30 days from a Feb. 12 court order. In June 2008, The Florida Bar was informed by a bank that Leavell's trust account had a negative balance of more than $18,000. The Bar served Leavell with a subpoena for bank account records, which he failed to produce.
Raymond Earl Miller was disbarred effective 30 days from a Jan. 8 court order. After a complaint was filed against Miller, alleging delays in making the final disbursement in an estate, he made the payment, but failed to provide an accounting. An examination of Miller's trust account records and ledger cards revealed that he failed to maintain a balance in the trust account sufficient to cover the estate. He also failed to maintain records required by The Florida Bar's rules.
Jolyon Wilson Morris was placed on probation for two years, effective immediately, following a Feb. 5 court order. An investigation of Morris' trust account revealed that he was not in compliance with basic trust account rules as required by The Florida Bar, including client ledger cards, receipt and disbursement journals and bank and client reconciliations.
Okechukwu Josiah Odunna was suspended until further order, following a Jan. 5 court order. According to an emergency suspension order, Odunna appeared to be causing great public harm. He failed to record at least 17 original deeds and 21 original mortgages, exposing a title insurance fund to more than $10 million in claims exposure. A Florida Bar compliance audit of Odunna's trust accounting records determined that he misappropriated more than $370,000 in client funds.
Ronald Thomas Rider was suspended until further order, following a Dec. 23, 2008 court order. According to an emergency suspension order, Rider appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating funds held in trust. An audit by The Florida Bar found that Rider had a shortage in his trust account of more than $63,000 as of July 1, 2008, and $87,000 as of Nov. 13, 2008.
Full Article and Source:
Pensacola lawyer one of 35 disciplined by the state courts
8 comments:
Only 10 were hit for tapping trusts?
Seems to me that it will get much worse, as things become more desperate with these guys.
The words "lawyer" and "trust" should never be used in the same sentence!
CROOKS!
Very disturbing. This is the type of news we do not normally see.
Lawyer discipline is not part of our tv news and rarely are there articles in the newspapers.
I wonder why?
Lawyers and guardians for profit are "entrusted" with their wards lives, property and assets by the courts.
I wonder how much money missing, "misappropriated" from the guardianship's?
Does anybody review, audit or supervise the guardians at any time, in any manner?
If we steal money, it is criminal and referred to as:
"theft" "embezzlement"; when a laywer steal money it is referred to as a civil issue, as "misapproriation" of funds.
Something wrong with this picture?
The dangerous thing here is far too many people think a trust is protected and can't be broken.
And they're so wrong.
I would like to see discipline consist of disbarment instead of probation or taking away of the license for a limited time.
Disbar bad attorneys and they'll clean up their acts!
And disbar judges who allow bad attorneys to practice and prey on the vulnerable.
Why isn't this news on the front page of the newspapers, hmmmmm?
In fact, this information gets buried if it is published at all.
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