Title: The Florida Bar v. Morales

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

366 So. 2d 431 (1978)
THE FLORIDA BAR, Petitioner,
v.
Henry G. MORALES, Respondent.
No. 53724.

Supreme Court of Florida.
December 21, 1978.
Michael J. Satz, State's Atty., and Ralph J. Ray, Jr., Chief Asst. State's Atty., Fort Lauderdale, for petitioner.
Nicholas R. Friedman, Asst. Staff Counsel, Miami, for The Florida Bar, amicus curiae.
*432 Henry G. Morales, in pro. per.
PER CURIAM.
The court here reviews a Circuit Judge's report in disciplinary proceedings brought against Henry Morales, also known as Henrifer Morales-Macedo. The State's Attorney for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, participating under our disciplinary rules, and The Florida Bar, acting as amicus curiae, urge approval of the circuit judge's findings of fact, determinations of guilt, and imposition of punishment. Morales contends that the proof against him is not clear and convincing as required by law, and he contends that he has been denied due process of law as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Florida.
The facts, the circumstances, and the considerations supporting the punishment are amply stated in the trial judge's order, which provides:
Our review of the record indicates that there is competent, clear and convincing evidence for the findings of fact made by the trial judge. Florida Bar v. Wagner, 212 So. 2d 770 (Fla. 1968). The findings are not clearly erroneous or lacking in evidentiary support. State ex rel. Florida Bar v. Bass, 106 So. 2d 77 (Fla. 1958). We find respondent's allegations of constitutional deprivations during the disciplinary proceedings to be without merit. The respondent is guilty of violating Disciplinary Rules 1-102(A)(4), 1-102(A)(5), 1-102(A)(6), 6-101(A)(2), 6-101(A)(3), 7-102(A)(7), and 9-101(C) of the Code of Professional Responsibility. The punishment is appropriate.
Accordingly, The Florida Bar is ordered to strike Henry G. Morales, also known as Henrifer Morales-Macedo, from the list of attorneys permitted to practice law in Florida. Morales is ordered to pay the costs of these proceedings. This order shall be effective immediately upon its filing.
It is so ordered.
OVERTON, SUNDBERG, HATCHETT and ALDERMAN, JJ., concur.
ENGLAND, C.J., dissents.