On Thursday, September 29, 2022, the Supreme Court of Florida ordered the revocation of Madison attorney Thomas Edward Stone’s membership in The Florida Bar, with leave to seek readmission after five years amid pending charges of misconduct.
The case is styled In Re: Petition for Disciplinary Revocation of Thomas Edward Stone and was brought by Thomas Edward Stone under Case number #SC22-219.
The charges cited violations of Rules Regulating the Florida Bar 4-8.4(a) (A lawyer shall not violate or attempt to violate the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar); 4-8.4(d) (A lawyer shall not engage in conduct in connection with the practice of law that is prejudicial to the administration of justice); and 4-8.4(i) (A lawyer shall not engage in sexual conduct with a client or representative of a client that exploits or adversely affects the interest of the client or the lawyer-client relationship).
The Rules Regulating the Florida Bar can be found here.
The following are as summarized from the filing:
On July 21, 2022. Petitioner filed before the Florida Bar its Petition for Disciplinary Revocation with leave to reapply for readmission with full knowledge of its effect. On July 15, 2022, the Referee found Petitioner to have violated the above-cited Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, and a sanction hearing is pending in this matter. The petitioner requested that the Court grants his petition and that his membership to The Florida Bar be revoked with leave to seek readmission.
Accordingly, the Supreme Court of Florida entered a judgment granting Thomas Edward Stone’s petition.
The Order reads:
“The uncontested petition for disciplinary revocation, as provided by Rule3-7.12, Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, with leave to seek readmission after five years, is granted subject to the continuing jurisdiction of this Court. . . the disciplinary revocation shall be effective thirty days from the date of this order so that petitioner can close out his practice and protect the interests of existing clients. If petitioner notifies this Court in writing that he is no longer practicing and does not need the thirty days to protect existing clients, this Court will enter an order making the revocation effective immediately. . .”
Costs were assessed against the Respondent in the amount of $2,330.75.
Prior to the revocation, Mr. Thomas Edward Stone works with the Office of the Public Defender in Madison, Florida. He graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 1976. He had been licensed in Florida.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
