On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, the Supreme Court of Florida ruled on the Petition for Contempt and Order to Show Cause filed by the Florida Bar requesting a 91-day suspension against Miami Beach attorney Julio J. Martinez for violating a 2-year rehabilitation contract with the Florida Lawyer’s Assistance, Inc. (FLA).
The case titled The Florida Bar v. Julio J. Martinez was brought by The Florida Bar, Case No. 2022-90-062.
According to the Florida Bar’s Petition for Contempt and Order to Show Cause, Respondent was publicly reprimanded and placed on probation for 2 years, by order dated November 18, 2022, in Florida Supreme Court Case No. SC21-1532, to which Respondent agreed.
The contract required Respondent to “totally refrain from the use of all mood-altering substances, including prescribed medication, alcohol, and any beverage, food, or non-prescribed medication containing alcohol . . . including without limitation “non-alcoholic” beer, wine, cold medicines, and allergy medications.”
On May 24, 2022, FLA, Inc. notified the bar of Respondent’s testing positive for alcohol on his random urinalysis on April 19, 2022. Respondent denied drinking and did not want a re-run when the Medical Review Officer (MRO) contacted him on May 25, 2022. The MRO, in its report, opined that the ingestion of alcohol was within 72 hours prior to the test being collected.
Because of this failure to abstain from the consumption of alcohol, respondent has failed to comply with his rehabilitation contract with FLA, Inc. Therefore, the bar was obligated to file this petition for contempt for noncompliance.
Consequently, the Bar requested the Court to enter an order directing respondent, Julio J. Martinez, to show cause why he should not be held in contempt and be suspended for 91-days and assess costs in the amount of $1,250.00 to the Florida Bar and for respondent to undergo a substance abuse evaluation by an approved FLA, Inc. provider, complete a minimum of 6 months sobriety, and receive a recommendation from FLA, Inc., to support his reinstatement.
The Supreme Court of Florida having issued an Order to Show Cause to respondent and the latter having filed a response thereto agreed to the Bar’s recommendation.
The decretal portion of its Order reads in part:
“IT IS ORDERED that respondent is held in contempt of this Court’s order in The Florida Bar v. Julio J. Martinez, No. SC21-1532 (Fla. Nov. 18, 2021). As a sanction, respondent is suspended from the practice of law for thirty days, effective thirty days from the date of this order so that respondent can close out his practice and protect the interests of existing clients. . . . respondent, shall accept no new business from the date this order is filed until he is reinstated.”
Respondent was directed to comply with all other terms and conditions of the consent agreement in case number SC21-1532. Respondent’s probation was extended for a term of three years from the date of the Court’s order. He was also ordered to pay the amount of $1,250 to the Florida Bar for recovery of costs.
Said Court order is not final until the period of filing motion for rehearing expires, and if filed, determine. The effective date of the suspension shall not be altered upon the filing of a motion for rehearing.
According to LinkedIn, Mr. Martinez earned his Juris Doctor degree from St. Thomas University, graduating in 2010. He is no longer listed in He practices in Miami Beach, Florida. He has been licensed in Florida.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
