Title: The Florida Bar v. Flowers

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

672 So. 2d 526 (1996)
THE FLORIDA BAR, Complainant,
v.
Ralph Lorenzo FLOWERS, Respondent.
No. 85757.

Supreme Court of Florida.
April 18, 1996.
*527 John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director and John T. Berry, Staff Counsel, Tallahassee, and James W. Keeter, Bar Counsel, Orlando, for Complainant.
Michael Jeffries of Neill, Griffin, Jeffries & Lloyd, Ft. Pierce, for Respondent.
PER CURIAM.
We have for review the complaint of The Florida Bar (the Bar) and the referee's report regarding alleged ethical breaches by Ralph Lorenzo Flowers. We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 15, Fla. Const. We approve the report.
The referee made the following findings of fact as to Count I of the Bar's complaint based on the evidence presented at the hearing:
(Record references omitted.)
The referee made the following findings of fact as to Count II of the Bar's complaint:
(Record references omitted.)
Based on the above findings of fact, the Referee made the following recommendations concerning guilt:
Based on the above recommendations concerning guilt, the referee recommended the following disciplinary action:
Flowers contends that the referee's findings of fact on Count I are not supported by the evidence. We disagree. Frances-Lopez stated in her affidavit that she believed she was being represented by Flowers and our review of the record indicates that this belief was justified. Furthermore, Flowers represented to the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the United States Department of Justice that Frances-Lopez was his client.
The referee's findings of fact are supported by competent, substantial evidence and are, thus, entitled to a presumption of correctness. Florida Bar v. McKenzie, 442 So. 2d 934 (Fla.1983). Absent a showing that such findings are clearly erroneous or lacking in evidentiary support they will not be disturbed by this Court. Id. Flowers has made no such showing and we accept the referee's findings of fact and recommendations concerning guilt on both counts.
Flowers next argues that the referee failed to consider all the evidence in mitigation prior to making his recommendation concerning discipline. He specifically argues that the referee ignored his illness and the death of his wife. Our review of the referee's report, however, shows that these factors were considered. Furthermore, at the hearing before the referee, Flowers conceded that his illness did not affect his ability to represent the clients in this case.
Based on the foregoing, we adopt the referee's recommended discipline in its entirety. We note that Flowers' prior disciplinary history includes a private reprimand for neglect, a public reprimand with a two-year period of probation for inadequate trust account record keeping procedures, and a ten-day suspension for trust account violations.
Flowers is hereby suspended for a period of ninety-one days and thereafter until he takes and passes the ethics portion of The Florida Bar examination, pays the costs of these proceedings, and makes restitution to Ms. Frances-Lopez in the amount of $750.00 and to the guardianship of Thalaria L. Watkins, et al., in the amount of $847.00. The suspension will be effective thirty days from the filing of this opinion so that Flowers can close out his practice and protect the interests of existing clients. If Flowers notifies this Court in writing that he is no longer practicing law and does not need the thirty days to protect existing clients, this Court will enter an order making the suspension effective immediately. Flowers shall accept no new business from the date this opinion is filed until the suspension is completed. Pursuant to the provisions of Rule Regulating The Florida Bar 3-5.1(g), upon receipt of this order of suspension, Flowers shall forthwith furnish a copy of the order to all his clients with matters pending in his practice. Furthermore, within thirty days after receipt of this order, Flowers shall furnish staff counsel of the Bar with a sworn affidavit listing the names and addresses of all clients who have been furnished copies of the order. Judgment for costs in the amount of $2,093.65 is entered in favor of The Florida Bar against Flowers, for which sum let execution issue.
It is so ordered.
GRIMES, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, KOGAN, HARDING, WELLS and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur.