The Florida Bar, Complainant v. Ann Bitterman, Respondent

Summary

The Florida Supreme Court reviewed a referee’s recommendation of a thirty‑day suspension for attorney Ann Bitterman’s contemptuous conduct and, finding the referee’s analysis deficient, disbarred her and awarded costs to the Bar. The Court affirmed the referee’s factual findings but rejected the recommended sanction as unsupported by case law and the Florida Standards for Imposing Lawyer Discipline.