A St. Augustine lawyer was disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court in July.
Marsha Sharlene Johnson of St. Augustine, was admitted to practice in 2012.
In a news release, the Florida Bar said Johnson was first held in contempt for her failure to respond to official Bar inquiries and a court order to show cause, or “an opportunity to make a written statement, sworn or unsworn, explaining, refuting or admitting the alleged misconduct,” according to the Florida Bar.
Johnson was being investigated over a potential conflict of interest after borrowing $16,000 from a client who had retained her to draft and revise a will.
“She did not inform the client in writing that it was advisable to consult independent counsel prior to entering into the loan agreement,” the Florida Bar said. “Johnson made no payments toward the loan. She also failed to make timely written responses to the Bar’s investigative inquiries.”
On March 18, 2025, the Seventh Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee of the Florida Bar sent a letter by email advising her of the complaint and requested a response by April 3, 2025.
“Respondent failed to respond to The Florida Bar as requested, in the letter of March 18, 2025,” the Grievance Committee said.
On April 4, 2025, Johnson was sent a second request by email and certified mail advising her of the complaint, requesting a response by April 15. She did not respond, the Bar said.
On May 29, the court issued a letter stating that Johnson was held in contempt of court and suspended from the practice of law in order to “close out her practice.”
Johnson then filed a pleading claiming she had filed for bankruptcy in federal court, The Bar said. Relying on that claim, the trial court issued a stay of the proceedings and canceled the scheduled contempt hearing.
According to court documents, after learning Johnson had not filed for bankruptcy, counsel moved to lift the stay and requested that the respondent be held in contempt. At the hearing, Johnson admitted she had not filed for bankruptcy as she had claimed.
Johnson was ordered to pay recovery of costs in the amount of $1,250.
For more information on this case, go to Case No. SC2025-1843, or https://www.floridabar.org.
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Augustine lawyer disbarred by Florida Supreme Court
Reporting by Lucia Viti, St. Augustine Record / St. Augustine Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lucia Viti, St. Augustine Record | USA TODAY Network
