On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, The Florida Bar filed a formal complaint against Attorney Josh A. Howard with the Supreme Court of Florida. The complaint alleges that Howard violated the Rules of Conduct by committing a criminal act.
The case is entitled “The Florida Bar v. Josh A. Howard,” with case no. 2022-50,027(17A).
The charges cited Rules Regulating Florida Bar 4-8.4(b).
According to the complaint, Howard has had multiple run-ins with law enforcement involving illegal drugs. In April 2021, he was arrested for driving under the influence and officers found fentanyl and a pill called Alprazolam in his vehicle that he did not have a valid prescription for. He entered a drug diversion program to resolve the criminal charges from this incident.
However, the complaint states that in April 2023, police responded to a caller concerned about an individual passed out in a vehicle. Officers found Howard unconscious at the wheel with pills known as Xanax in his lap that he did not have a prescription for. He was again diverted to a drug program to resolve the potential criminal case.
The Florida Bar alleges that in a December 2023 email to the grievance committee reviewing his first arrest, Howard made two factual misrepresentations. He claimed to have had no other legal issues since April 2021 when he was arrested in April 2023. He also stated he passed all drug tests, but admitted in September 2021 to drinking alcohol in violation of his monitoring program.
If disciplinary charges are proven, the complaint requests that Howard receive an appropriate sanction as determined by the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar.
According to avvo.com, Mr. Howard is a criminal defense attorney in Miami, Florida. He attended the Stetson University College of Law, graduating in 2009. He acquired his law license in Florida in 2011.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
