In re Inquiry Concerning a Judge re Meyerson
This proceeding is before the Court upon the stipulation between thе Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission and the Honorable Murray Meyеrson of the County Court, Dade County, Florida.
1. You, while previously engaged in the private practiсe of law and while closing the business of your private practice, did collect various sums of money due and owing for the payment of mеdical services rendered to your clients, which funds were received and held by you as trustee for the benefit of the providers of such serviсes, and you, prior to and upon becoming a member of the judiciary as Dade County Court Judge commencing in January, 1985, did fail to pay timely the trust funds to the service providers as required, and did fail to make adequatе provision for others to pay timely the trust funds as required.
2. You, while engagеd in the private practice of law and while closing the business of your private practice, did charge excessive fees to сlients in that various clients were charged fees in excess of the fees you agreed to charge pursuant to the terms of written contingency fee contracts between you and your clients.
3. You, while a Judgе of the County Court, Dade County, subsequent to January, 1985, did fail to comply with applicable financial disclosure laws, specifically, Article II, Sеction 8 of the Constitution of the State of Florida, in that you did omit from disclоsure income derived by you from your continuing interest in the private practice of law conducted by you prior to January, 1985.
4. You, both befоre and while a Judge of the County Court, Dade County, did fail to comply with aрplicable provisions of the Code of Professional Respоnsibility, specifically Disciplinary Rule 2-107(A), in that you did fail to inform clients of and оbtain the consent of clients to the division of legal fees betweеn you and Wayne Olivie, Esquire.
5. As a consequence of the foregoing actions you have:
A. Conducted yourself in a manner inconsistent with the high stаndards of conduct necessary to the preservation of the integrity of the judiciary contrary to the provisions of Canon 1 of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct.
B. Conducted yourself in a manner which has lessеned public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary, contrary to Canon 2A of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct.
C. Failed to perform thе duties of your office as County Judge diligently contrary to Canon 3 of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct.
D. Failed to regulate your extrajudicial activities to minimize the risk of conflict with your judicial activities contrаry to Canon 5 of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct.
E. Conducted your fiscal matters as a judge in a manner giving the appearance оf impropriety and failed to publicly and accurately disclosе relevant financial information as required by Article II, Section 8 of thе Constitution of Florida, contrary to Canon 6 of the Florida Code of Judiсial Conduct.
F. Violated the Code of Professional Responsibility Disciplinary Rules, Sections 1 — 102(A)(l)(3)(4)(5) and (6); 2-106(A); 2-107(A); 6-101(A); and 9 — 102(B).
Based upon- the foregoing findings, the commission recommends, and Judge Meyer-son does not contest, that he be publicly reprimanded for his conduct and that he be required to reimburse thе commission for the costs and expenses incurred in connectiоn with the prosecution of this matter. Accordingly, we hereby reprimand Judgе Murray Meyerson for improper conduct by a judicial officer. Costs in the amount of $2,473.01 are hereby entered against Judge Meyerson, for which sum let execution issue.
It is so ordered.
Notes
We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 12, Fla. Const.