Title: The Florida Bar v. Weintraub

State: florida

Issuer: Florida Supreme Court

Document:

528 So. 2d 367 (1988)
THE FLORIDA BAR, Complainant,
v.
B. Mark WEINTRAUB, Respondent.
No. 71325.

Supreme Court of Florida.
July 14, 1988.
John F. Harkness, Jr., Executive Director and John T. Berry, Staff Counsel, Tallahassee, and Jacquelyn Plasner Needelman, Bar Counsel, Fort Lauderdale, for complainant.
James I. Cohn of the Law Offices of James I. Cohn, P.A., Fort Lauderdale, for respondent.
*368 PER CURIAM.
This proceeding is before the Court for consideration of the referee's report recommending a finding of professional misconduct on the part of attorney B. Mark Weintraub and recommending certain measures of discipline.
Respondent pled nolo contendere to a charge of delivery of cocaine. Adjudication of guilt was withheld and respondent was placed on probation for thirteen months. Probation was terminated after eight months due to respondent's good behavior. The referee found that at the request of a neighbor with whom he had been romantically involved, respondent obtained approximately one-half gram of cocaine and delivered it to her. The neighbor requesting the cocaine reimbursed him the sum of $50.00, which he had paid to obtain the cocaine. At the time of delivery, two police detectives were in the neighbor's apartment, having previously arranged to be there to monitor the transaction and arrest respondent.
The referee recommended that respondent be found guilty of violating the former Florida Bar Integration Rule, article XI, rule 11.02(3)(a) (act contrary to honesty, justice, or good morals) and 11.02(3)(b) (act constituting a criminal offense); and the former Code of Professional Responsibility, Disciplinary Rules 1-102(A)(1) (violation of a disciplinary rule); 1-102(A)(3) (illegal conduct involving moral turpitude); and 1-102(A)(6) (conduct adversely reflecting on fitness to practice law).
The referee found that as part of respondent's negotiations with the Bar with regard to this disciplinary proceeding, respondent contacted Florida Lawyers' Assistance. Although F.L.A.'s evaluation of respondent concluded that his past occasional illegal drug use was for recreational and stress-reducing purposes and that he was not an addict with a need for a systematic program of treatment, the referee found that respondent has participated in counseling sessions sponsored by F.L.A. and recommends that he be required to continue to do so.
As disciplinary measures, the referee recommended suspension and probation in the following specific terms:
In support of his disciplinary recommendations, the referee provided the following further comments:
We approve the referee's report. Respondent is hereby suspended from the practice of law for ninety days and placed on probation for two years under the terms and conditions set forth in the referee's report. The suspension shall commence thirty days from the date of this order so that respondent can wind up his professional affairs in an orderly manner.
The costs of this proceeding are taxed against the respondent. Judgment is entered against B. Mark Weintraub for costs in the amount of $454.87, for which sum, if not paid within one year, let execution issue.
It is so ordered.
EHRLICH, C.J., and OVERTON, McDONALD, SHAW, BARKETT, GRIMES and KOGAN, JJ., concur.