Title: The Florida Bar v. Prevatt

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

609 So. 2d 37 (1992)
THE FLORIDA BAR, Complainant,
v.
Myron C. PREVATT, Jr., Respondent.
No. 77271.

Supreme Court of Florida.
November 25, 1992.
John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director, John T. Berry, Staff Counsel and Alisa M. Smith, Bar Counsel, Tallahassee, for complainant.
Richard E. Welty, Starke, for respondent.
PER CURIAM.
This disciplinary report is before the Court on complaint from The Florida Bar and the referee's report. We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 15, Fla. Const.
The referee's findings of fact are supported by competent, substantial evidence and therefore are considered conclusive.
The Fla. Bar v. Seldin, 526 So. 2d 41, 43 (Fla. 1988). The referee found:
The referee concluded:
Based on these facts the referee recommended, despite Prevatt's offer of alcoholism as mitigation, that Prevatt be disbarred for five years. We agree with the sanction recommended by the referee as the only appropriate one in these aggravated circumstances. The Fla. Bar v. Shuminer, 567 So. 2d 430 (Fla. 1990) (disbarment; addiction fails to outweigh seriousness of misappropriations); The Fla. Bar v. Golub, 550 So. 2d 455 (Fla. 1989) (disbarment; alcoholism explains conduct, but does not excuse it); The Fla. Bar v. Knowles, 500 So. 2d 140 (Fla. 1986) (disbarment despite alcoholism where misappropriations continued over several years); see also Florida's Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions § 9.22(b), (c), (h), (i), (j) (Fla.Bar Bd. Governors 1986).
Accordingly we disbar Prevatt, finding him guilty of violating Rules Regulating The Florida Bar 3-4.3 (a lawyer shall not commit any act which is unlawful or contrary to honesty and justice), 3-4.4 (a lawyer shall not commit criminal misconduct), 4-1.3 (a lawyer shall act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client), 4-1.4(a) (a lawyer shall keep a client reasonably informed and promptly comply with reasonable requests for information), 4-8.4(a) (a lawyer shall not violate the Rules of Professional Conduct), 4-8.4(c) (a lawyer shall not engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation), 4-1.15 (a lawyer shall keep a client's property safe), as well as chapter 5 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar (a lawyer shall observe the rules regulating trust accounts); Disciplinary Rules[1] 1-102(A)(4) (a lawyer shall not engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation), 1-102(A)(5) (a lawyer shall not engage in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice), 1-102(A)(6) (a lawyer shall not engage in conduct adversely reflecting on fitness to practice), 9-102(A) (a lawyer shall preserve client funds), and 9-102(B)(3) (a lawyer shall maintain complete records) of the former Code of Professional Responsibility; and article XI, rules 11.02(3) (a lawyer shall not engage in acts contrary to honesty and justice), and 11.02(4) (a lawyer shall hold the client's property in trust) of the former Integration Rule of The Florida Bar.
In order to allow Prevatt thirty days to protect the interests of his present clients, disbarment shall take effect on December 28, 1992, but he shall accept no new business from the release date of this opinion. Judgment for costs in the amount of $11,991.86 *39 is entered against Prevatt, for which sum let execution issue.
It is so ordered.
THE FILING OF A MOTION FOR REHEARING SHALL NOT ALTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS DISBARMENT.
BARKETT, C.J., and OVERTON, McDONALD, SHAW, GRIMES, KOGAN and HARDING, JJ., concur.
[1]  For misconduct prior to January 1, 1987.