The Supreme Court of Florida took the time to write a 2-column, four page opinion disbarring a Florida lawyer for various criminal and ethical offenses. At least one of the grounds was worthy of attention… as was the penalty imposed by Alabama’s Supreme Court.
In The Florida Bar v. James Harvey Tipler, the defendant-lawyer admitted that he represented an 18-year old female in an aggravated assault case. The total charge was $2,300 and the lawyer drafted a fee agreement which allowed a “credit of $200 for each time she engaged in sex [with the lawyer]” and “$400 credit if she arranged for other females to have sex with him.”
Alabama slapped him with a 15-month suspension for the indescretion. When he failed to advise Florida of the suspension, the recommendation was an 18-month Florida Bar suspension with probation and mandatory rehabilitation (arguably Florida took the “failure to report” to be more serious than sex with your client). He was also charged with racketeering and prostitution (and plead guilty to the latter).