On Thursday, April 4, 2024, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division Third Judicial Department suspended Attorney Gemma Marilyn Antoine-Belton from practicing law for 60 days.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Gemma Marilyn Antoine-Belton,” with case no. PM-55-24.
The suspension stems from a disciplinary action taken against Antoine-Belton by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in August 2023. In D.C., she received a 60-day suspension with 30 days stayed and one year of probation for professional misconduct related to her work as a guardian or conservator in four separate cases from 2012 to 2016. Antoine-Belton “freely and voluntarily acknowledged that the material facts and misconduct reflected [were] true.”
As a result of the D.C. action, she was also suspended for 30 days by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in December 2023.
In response to a motion by the New York Attorney Grievance Committee, Antoine-Belton did not deny the misconduct findings from D.C. However, she asked the New York court to consider mitigating factors and impose the same discipline as D.C., retroactive to the earlier suspension. The Committee opposed this, noting her ongoing suspensions in other jurisdictions.
The Appellate Court agreed with the Committee and imposed its own 60-day suspension, citing aggravating factors like the vulnerable clients harmed and the financial gain involved. With this ruling, Antoine-Belton is now prohibited from practicing law in New York for 60 days.
The Disposition states:
“ORDERED that respondent is suspended from the practice of law for a period of 60 days, effective immediately, and until further order of this Court.”
According to avvo.com, Ms. Antoine-Belton is a guardianship attorney in Washington, District of Columbia. She acquired her law license in New York in 1993.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
