The purpose of this summary provided by the Communications Department of The Florida Bar is to present media coverage that may be of interest to members. Opinions expressed in the articles are attributable solely to the authors. The Florida Bar does not adopt or endorse any opinions expressed below. For information on previous articles, please contact the publishing newspaper directly.
October 13, 2025
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The Florida Bar
BOARD OF GOVERNORS NOMINATING PETITIONS ARE DUE DECEMBER 15
The Florida Bar | Article | October 13, 2025
Nominating petitions for the 2026 election for The Florida Bar Board of Governors must be received in The Florida Bar headquarters office on or before 5 p.m., December 15. The Board positions are for two-year terms. Executive Director Joshua E. Doyle on October 3 certified to John A. Tomasino, Clerk of the Florida Supreme Court, the number of members of The Florida Bar in good standing in each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits and outside the State of Florida, and the number of circuit representatives based on the apportionment formula set forth in Bylaw 2-3.3, Rules Regulating The Florida Bar. Pursuant to Bylaw 2-3.4(b), Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, incumbent Board members must advise the executive director of their intention to seek reelection to a new term. The Board members who do not plan to run again are indicated by an asterisk next to their names.
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Unlicensed Practice of Law
TAMPA WOMAN POSED AS IMMIGRATION LAWYER, CLIENTS SAY, LEAVING DOZENS IN LIMBO
Tampa Bay Times | Article | October 11, 2025
A dozen former clients said they trusted Dayana Barreto García and her Tampa firm, García SM Immigration Service, to help them secure documents and visas. Barreto García, who also operated businesses under the name Dayana García, offered a range of immigration services, including handling legal paperwork for work permits and green cards. People called her “licenciada” or “doctora,” titles that in many Latin American countries imply she was a lawyer. But according to The Florida Bar, she was not. The former clients described incidents in which Barreto García misrepresented her qualifications, filed incorrect paperwork, or assured them their cases were active when they apparently weren’t. Combined, they said they paid her more than $140,000 or services that they claim were not rendered. The Florida Bar confirmed that it is investigating whether García has practiced law without a license.
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Legal Discipline
MIAMI BEACH’S ‘THE NOBLE ATTORNEY’ RIPPED OFF THE VA TO THE TUNE OF $124K
Miami Herald | Article | October 12, 2025
Miami Beach lawyer, Nabil Ibrahim Abu Nahlah who created the company “The Noble Attorney” in December 2019, swindled the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs out of $124,809. In February 2021, Abu Nahlah pleaded guilty to answering to a request from the VA for quotes on nitrile medical examination gloves, saying The Noble Attorney would sell 50 million Mercator brand mCare nitrile gloves for $7.4 million. Before the VA could approve the sale, they asked for a letter from Mercator stating that the company was an authorized distributor. Instead of getting an authorized distributor letter from Mercator, Abu Nahlah sent a fake letter through a fake email account. He was sentenced to time served, supervised release and was ordered to pay back the government $124,809. He was suspended by the Florida Supreme Court for having a felony conviction after pleading guilty to one count of major fraud against the United States.
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Judicial Discipline
FLORIDA JUDGES FACE DISCIPLINE OVER DEEPFAKE INFO, POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS, MORE
The Daytona Beach News-Journal | Article | October 09, 2025
Seventh Circuit County Judge Anne Marie Gennusa, who was facing possible discipline and announced her resignation this month, isn’t the only one who recently got her judicial robe in a jam. Gennusa was among several judges currently facing possible disciplinary actions for variety of transgressions, including donating to political campaigns; showing up in a courtroom to put in a good word for a friend; questioning an attorney appearing before them why they didn’t return their call; and providing a newspaper editorial board a link to a deepfake recording of a fake conservation involving state Supreme Court justices that never happened. The Judicial Qualifications Commission investigates complaints against the judges and makes recommendations to the Florida Supreme Court, which decides on the punishment. Judges have the right to lawyer up and fight the allegations.
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Civil Justice
LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST ROBLOX AND META IN BREVARD COUNTY
WFTV 9 | Article | October 10, 2025
A lawsuit has been filed in Brevard County by Dolman Law Group on behalf of a local father and daughter against Roblox Corporation and Meta Platforms, Inc., claiming that the companies facilitated the sexual exploitation of a minor. The complaint states the victim was coerced into sending explicit images for Robux, Roblox’s virtual currency. According to the lawsuit, the daughter started playing Roblox at a young age, thinking it was a safe platform for kids. However, by age nine, she met a predator who tricked her into adding him on Instagram, where the inappropriate behavior continued. The lawsuit alleges that Roblox and Meta did not put enough safety measures in place to protect children from this kind of exploitation. The lawsuit seeks damages from Roblox and Meta, claiming their negligence caused lasting harm to the victim.
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Judiciary
GAVEL TO GUIDANCE: JUDGE DAMOORGIAN TRADES THE BENCH FOR ADR WISDOM AT JAMS
Law.com | Article | October 10, 2025
After a quarter-century of service—seven years on a state trial bench and 18 on a state appellate court— Judge Dorian Damoorgian is stepping into a new role as a neutral with JAMS International Arbitration Center in Miami, one of the nation’s leading providers of alternative dispute resolution. For him, ADR represents a way to continue serving the legal community and the public, providing relief to an overburdened judicial system and giving parties a meaningful opportunity to be heard. “What I bring to the table is perspective,” Damoorgian said. “When you’re a trial judge and on the Court of Appeals, you see what litigation costs, and how you can get the parties closer together. Sometimes, just perspective and the experience that a judge has can get the parties across that finish line.”
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Judiciary
DESANTIS APPOINTS STONE JR. AS JUDGE ON 19th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT
25 WPBF News | Article | October 11, 2025
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday [Oct. 9] that Robert Stone Jr. of Vero Beach was appointed to serve as judge on the 19th Judicial Circuit Court. Since 2019, Stone has served as an assistant state attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit Court which encompasses Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Okeechobee counties. Stone was one of nine people who interviewed for the open judicial seat and replaces Brett Waronicki. Waronicki resigned as judge on May 9 after he was arrested on April 23 in Martin County on suspicion of a DUI, possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Waronicki pleaded no contest to the charges and entered a drug diversion program. The governor’s office notes Stone was a partner of his own law firm, received his bachelor’s degree from Indian River State College and his juris doctor from Barry University School of Law.