Lawyer facing the scales of justice. Photo: Lightspring/Shutterstock.com

The COVID-19 pandemic didn't stop the Florida Supreme Court from clamping down on 11 attorneys over ethics violations between April 16 and May 21 — five of whom were from South Florida, according to information released Thursday.

Miami appellate attorney Rafael Angel Castro was disbarred over allegations he neglected two clients' cases for years, repeatedly seeking extensions with late filings and allegedly failing to refund fees.

Florida Justices declined to implement a recommended 18-month suspension and ordered Castro to pay $21,000 in restitution to the clients and $4,300 in costs to the bar. Castro disputed the accuracy of the referee's findings but filed his response late. He was admitted to the bar in 1995 and his disbarment will take effect 30 days from the May 21 court order.

Castro said he felt he was denied due process in a "railroading process" that has made him "no longer proud to be a Florida lawyer." He urged readers to look at his filings, claiming the bar initially offered him a 12-months suspension if he pleaded guilty.

"I denied the Florida Bar's offer and, now, ludicrously, I am being disbarred (i) in respect of the Gordon case, for having untimely filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus – one of my best legal writings — arguing that the law ought to be changed to allow the Florida Supreme Court to use mandamus as a means of supervising the Florida courts of appeals, since certiorari does not exist; and (ii) in the Tilley case, for having untimely filed briefs that were accepted by the Second Court of Appeal, a court which issued a per curiam affirmed opinion after holding oral argument. This usually does not happen," Castro said. "I was blamed also in Tilley for having a headache prior to oral argument and admitting to it, since I drove all night to get to Tampa for that proceeding."

The Florida Supreme also disregarded recommendations that West Palm Beach lawyer Rita Horwitz Altman receive a public reprimand and five years probation, opting instead to suspend her for three years. The Florida Bar accused Horwitz of failing to respond to its inquiries about a grievance filed against her, and of lying to bar investigators and the Supreme Court.

At a hearing before the referee, Horwitz claimed she had been out of town for her son's heart surgery but had returned in time to receive the letter, which she put on her "list of things to get done," according to the state Supreme Court's ruling. Altman was admitted to the bar in 1992 and this is her fourth discipline case, according to the bar.

Miami immigration attorney Troy Donahue Harris has been suspended for 60 days over claims his neglect caused a client's immigration petition to be abandoned and that he filed petitions for which he knew his client was ineligible. The client was ultimately removed in absentia from the U.S., according to the bar. Donahue was admitted to practice in 1997.

Coral Gables attorney Jon B. Lindeman Jr. agreed to a disciplinary revocation that will allow him to reapply to the bar in five years, following multiple bar complaints against him alleging lack of diligence, communication, excessive fees and failure to supervise nonlawyers. Lindeman, admitted to the bar in 1999, also reportedly failed to respond to several bar inquires and subpoenas.

In his petition, Lindeman agreed to an audit of his trust account to reimburse the bar's costs and fees relating to his misconduct.

Hollywood lawyer Janet Peralta Lucente received a 30-day suspension after she was held in contempt from a court order for allegedly failing to let clients, lawyers and tribunals know about her suspension. The high court originally suspended Lucente in November 2019 for failing to respond to a bar inquiry. The attorney was admitted to practice in 1997.

Read more:

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3 South Florida Lawyers Disciplined, Including an Ex-Judge