Florida

7 Cops, 2 Lawyers & 1 FBI Agent Charged in Claimed $16M Mortgage Fraud

Seven current or former police officers, two real estate closing attorneys and an agent for the FBI are among the defendants federally charged in a claimed South Florida mortgage fraud that allegedly involved false information provided to lenders to obtain $16.5 million in loans. Six of the officers are from…

Jul 14, 2010 2:52 PM CDT

As Jury Deliberates in 45-Count Case, Ex-Attorney Takes Plea Deal

As a Florida jury continued its second day of deliberations in a 45-count racketeering and theft case after a two-month trial, a now-disbarred attorney struck a deal with prosecutors. Ira Hatch, 62, will plead guilty to one count of racketeering concerning $4 million in allegedly misappropriated client funds, and the…

Jul 12, 2010 7:03 PM CDT

Troubled Ruden McClosky May Have to Make New Partner to Meet Credit Line Rule

The departure of two more partners has put a troubled South Florida law firm below the minimum number of partners required by its bank credit line, raising the possibility that Ruden McClosky will promote an attorney to equity partner to meet the required 40-partner minimum. A spokesman for the firm…

Jul 9, 2010 5:43 PM CDT

Judge Reads 100-Page Instructions to Jury Trying Ex-Attorney Accused of $4M Client Theft

A Florida judge began reading 100 pages of instructions at 9 a.m. today to the jury trying a now-disbarred real estate attorney in a case involving the alleged misappropriation of some $4 million in client funds. It was expected that Senior Judge James Midelis might conclude around 3 p.m., after…

Jul 8, 2010 8:44 PM CDT

New Florida Bar Web Rules Ignite Firestorm; ACLU, Law Firms, Even FTC All Object

Stringent new Florida Bar rules on attorney online advertising have ignited a firestorm, attracting criticism from a sweeping array of groups including not only law firms that do business in the state but the American Civil Liberties Union and even the Federal Trade Commission. A common theme is that the…

Jul 8, 2010 7:14 PM CDT

Rosenfeldt Takes 5th re Depo Questions About His Pay at Rothstein Law Firm

Stuart Rosenfeldt was a co-partner of Scott Rothstein in the now-shuttered Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler. But he essentially knew nothing about the South Florida law firm’s financial operations, Rosenfeldt said in a deposition today, according to the This Just In blog of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Paid $6 million in 2008…

Jul 2, 2010 10:06 PM CDT

Sunshine State Freezes Caps

After tobacco pact, Florida ices private lawyer fees in state cases

Jul 1, 2010 8:20 AM CDT

Judges’ Comments at Sentencing Require Do-Overs, Appeals Court Says

Is a musical chairs sentencing game under way in the courtrooms of two Florida judges? For at least the second time this year, a state appeals court today ordered that a convicted felon be resentenced because of comments by the judge. Circuit Judge David Gooding went too far when he…

Jun 25, 2010 10:07 PM CDT

Citizen Takes a Bite Out of Crime, But Misses $5K Reward by Calling 911 Before Crimeline

Mike Schillmoeller thought he was doing the right thing by calling 911 when he spotted a suspect in a bomb hoax. But the 22-year-old lost a considerable amount of his civic spirit when he found out he isn’t going to get an advertised $5,000 reward. Because he called 911 before…

Jun 25, 2010 5:59 PM CDT

Fla. Sheriff Says Inmates Are Happy About Recorded Phone Calls with Lawyers

A Florida sheriff says he will start taping inmates’ phone calls with their lawyers and will use the evidence against them in court. Sheriff Grady Judd of Bartow says the inmates like the idea—because it will force their lawyers to meet with them in person, 10Connects.com reports. “We talked to…

Jun 23, 2010 2:50 PM CDT

Prosecutors Weigh Charges Against Teen Who Says He Was Helping Lost Toddler

A 14-year-old Florida boy who was arrested earlier this month after what he says was an effort to help a lost toddler is confined to his home as prosecutors weigh whether to charge the youth. The boy, identified in some reports as Edwin, “intended to do a good deed,” his…

Jun 23, 2010 2:26 PM CDT

Attorney Accused of Charging Cancun Trip on Client’s Credit Card

Retained to set up a trust fund for an elderly couple, a Florida attorney is accused of doing a lot more. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says that Linda Littlefield racked up more than $50,000 in personal charges on her clients’ credit cards, including a trip to Cancun, after telling…

Jun 22, 2010 8:39 PM CDT

Fla. Law Firm that Sued over ‘Don’t Settle’ Tagline Allowed to Challenge Ad Rules

A Florida lawyer in a dispute with bar officials over his law firm’s tagline may challenge the state’s attorney advertising rules, a federal appeals court has ruled. The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled (PDF) last week that Jacksonville lawyer William Harrell Jr. may sue the Florida Bar…

Jun 22, 2010 1:14 PM CDT

Road Rage Assault Charge Against Law Firm Founder Is Dropped, Ditto Civil Case

A criminal assault charge against a 50-year-old South Florida law firm founder has been dropped, as well as a related civil case brought by his 30-year-old alleged victim in a supermarket parking lot altercation last December. An attorney for Michael Diaz Jr., managing partner of Miami-based Diaz Reus & Targ,…

Jun 18, 2010 6:42 PM CDT

Akerman Senterfitt Gets BP Work, Acquires Two Butzel Long Offices

Akerman Senterfitt will be representing BP in Florida litigation over the Gulf oil spill, and it’s bulking up its lawyer roster. Akerman is acquiring lawyers and employees from two offices of Detroit-based Butzel Long, Crain’s Detroit Business reports. Akerman has hired eight lawyers, five paralegals and eight support staff from…

Jun 17, 2010 1:49 PM CDT