The Florida Supreme Court suspended three South Florida attorneys between Feb. 22 and March 12, according to data released Thursday.

Among them: former Broward County Court Judge Jay S. Spechler, who received a 45-day suspension for posting an allegedly threatening comment on a courthouse blog about Broward Circuit Judge Michael Lynch.

The comment, posted on JAABlog.com, said, "Your intimidation and scare tactics will come to a screeching halt, just like your pathetic, miserable lives. Waiting is the hardest part." It also accused Lynch and affiliates of violating elections laws, and called attorney Michael Ahearn a "turd."

The message was posted anonymously, but a Broward Sheriff's Office investigation traced it to Spechler's IP address.

Spechler agreed to the suspension in a stipulation that said he was sorry and that his personal emotions had clouded his judgment. He had once been close friends with Lynch's father, retired Broward Circuit Judge Thomas Lynch, according to the stipulation, which said the families fell out after Michael Lynch was elected to the bench.

"Respondent has a great respect for the judiciary and rule of law, and realizes that he should have behaved more honorably," the stipulation said.

The sheriff's office ultimately found no threat, and Spechler claimed he was acting in retaliation to anonymous, malicious comments posted about him that he believed came from Michael Lynch—some of which mentioned his wife and children. But Spechler had no proof of this, and Lynch has denied involvement.

Spechler was admitted to practice in 1979 and spent 20 years on the bench. He is now a mediator in Hollywood.

Related story: Ex-Broward Judge Sent Threatening Message Via Blog's Comment Section to Current Judge

Miami attorney Stephen Gutierrez has also been suspended for 91 days over his representation of a client charged with setting his car on fire to collect on insurance. Proceedings were disrupted when smoke began billowing from the attorney's pant pockets during closing arguments—something the bar alleged was a stunt. Gutierrez initially claimed the fire was a coincidence, caused by his e-cigarette battery spontaneously combusting.

Gutierrez filed a civil lawsuit for that client while the arson case was pending, according to the Florida Bar, which said the client ultimately pleaded guilty to arson but that Gutierrez then filed an amended complaint claiming the fire was caused by a car crash.

Gutierrez admitted violating bar rules governing honesty and meritorious claims, according to a referee's report accepting consent judgment.

North Miami Beach attorney Andrean Rose Eaton was suspended for 90 days with a six-month probation for not responding on time to the bar's inquiries about her  trust account records Though no clients were affected, Eaton's records didn't comply with requirements and it wasn't her first run-in with the bar over the matter.

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