News Releases

SUPREME COURT DISCIPLINES 6 ATTORNEYS

Summaries of orders issued from August 29, 2024, to September 27, 2024

The Florida Bar, the state’s guardian for the integrity of the legal profession, announces that the Florida Supreme Court in recent court orders disciplined six attorneys, disbarring one, suspending three, emergency suspending one, and revoking the license of one.

The Florida Supreme Court, The Florida Bar and its Division of Lawyer Regulation are charged with administering a statewide disciplinary system to enforce Supreme Court rules of professional conduct for the more than 112,000 members of The Florida Bar. Key discipline case files that are public record are posted to attorneys’ individual online Florida Bar profiles. To view discipline documents, follow these steps. Information on the discipline system and how to file a complaint are available at www.floridabar.org/attorneydiscipline.

Court orders are not final until time expires to file a rehearing motion and, if filed, determined. The filing of such a motion does not alter the effective date of the discipline. Disbarred lawyers may not re-apply for admission for five years. They are required to go through an extensive process that includes a rigorous background check and retaking the Bar exam. Attorneys suspended for periods of 91 days and longer must undergo a rigorous process to regain their law licenses including proving rehabilitation. Disciplinary revocation is tantamount to disbarment.

Johnny Euell DuBose, Jr., 1432 Newbridge Lane, Orlando, disciplinary revocation without leave to seek readmission effectively immediately following a Sept. 5 order. (Admitted to practice: 1988) While DuBose was ineligible to practice law, he failed to submit quarterly reports during his period of employment with the Office of the State Attorney as required by the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar. (Case No. SC2024-1010)

Christopher Whittington Dudley, 598 Trelago Way, Apt. 303, Maitland, suspended for 90 days followed by a three-year probation immediately following a Sept. 12 order. (Admitted to practice: 2021) Dudley was arrested after he entered the victim’s backyard and then attempted to gain entry to the residence. Dudley “was under the influence of alcohol and intoxicated to a point [that] he did not know where he was or apparently what he was doing.”  He entered a plea of nolo contendere to the charges of Attempted Burglary of an Occupied Dwelling, a third-degree felony, and Criminal Mischief (above $200.00 but below $1,000.00), a first-degree misdemeanor. The court withheld adjudication of guilt as to all counts and sentenced respondent to two years of conditional probation as to the felony count and to credit for time served as to the misdemeanor count. (Case No. SC2023-1306)

Natalie Renee Jones, 2121 S. Hiawassee Rd., Apt. 4614, Orlando, emergency suspended immediately as of a Sept. 16 order. (Admitted to practice: 1994) Jones has caused, or is likely to cause, immediate and serious harm to clients or the public by misappropriating client funds and committing fundamental trust account violations. Jones shall accept no new clients from the date of a Court order, issued on Sept. 16, 2024, and shall cease representing any clients after 30 days of the Court’s order. (Case No. SC2024-1317)

Preston Hall Oughton, 301 W. Bay St., Suite 1424, Jacksonville, suspended for 91 days and ordered to attend Ethics School, effective immediately following a Sept. 16 order. (Admitted to practice: 2008) Oughton engaged in three separate acts of misconduct involving three different clients. In the first matter, he took no steps to move the client’s legal matter forward despite a five-year long representation. In the second matter, he pursued a cause of action with no possible chance of a favorable result and charged unnecessary fees. In the third matter, he failed to provide competent representation and charged excessive fees. (Case No. SC2021-586)

Andrew Edward Russ, P.O. Box 520, Pickerington, OH, disbarred effective Oct. 3 following a Sept. 3 order. (Admitted to practice: 2003) This is a reciprocal case based on an order from the Supreme Court of Ohio. In count one, Russ was appointed to represent the mother in a dependency case. He began sending her sexual solicitous text messages throughout the representation. Russ denied the messages until he was confronted with copies of the text messages during the disciplinary investigation. In count two, Russ stipulated to both being tardy for periods of 15 to 60 minutes to six hearings and failing to appear to four hearings and did not offer any valid excuse for this conduct. (Case No. SC2023-1289)

Eric Satin, 806 Opus Way, Montvale, NJ, suspended for three years nunc pro tunc to January 19, 2024, following a Sept. 3 order. (Admitted to practice: 2009). Satin was charged with felony Burglary of an Unoccupied Dwelling and misdemeanor Criminal Mischief. The charges arose in the context of his dissolution of marriage action and were related thereto. Satin entered a plea and adjudication was withheld pursuant to the agreement. (Case No. SC2024-0335)

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