Florida: Attorney & Judicial Discipline
Who regulates lawyers and judges in Florida, how complaints are filed, counted, and adjudicated, and where the complaint and disposition numbers come from.
Attorney discipline
Who regulates lawyers in Florida Publishes statistics
Attorney discipline in Florida is administered by the The Florida Bar (Lawyer Regulation / ACAP), under the ultimate authority of the Florida Supreme Court.
About -580.0% of complaints proceed past initial screening (2019); the rest are screened out or dismissed.
How complaints are filed
A complaint (often called a grievance) against a lawyer is filed directly with the The Florida Bar (Lawyer Regulation / ACAP), typically via an online or printable complaint form. Filing is free and no lawyer is needed. The agency screens each filing to confirm it involves an attorney under its jurisdiction and conduct that could violate the rules of professional conduct; filings that survive screening are opened for investigation. The disciplinary process addresses professional misconduct — it cannot overturn a case result or award damages.
How complaints are counted
This state publishes aggregate attorney discipline statistics — bar population, files opened, cases/orders, disbarments, suspensions, public reprimands, admonishments, probations, injunctions. Published as: HTML table + monthly summaries; coverage: rolling 5-year table (2020-21 to 2024-25). Clean fielded table; among the best.
How complaints are adjudicated
Complaints go to The Florida Bar (Attorney Consumer Assistance Program), which screens and refers matters to local grievance committees of lawyers and public members. If probable cause is found, the Bar files a formal complaint with the Florida Supreme Court, which appoints a circuit judge as referee to try the case; the referee's report goes to the Supreme Court for final judgment.
| Year | Complaints received | Publicly disciplined | Active lawyers | Disbarments | Public suspensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 3,557 | 242 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 3,364 | — | 109,830 | 38 | 102 |
| 2021 | 3,380 | — | 110,806 | 36 | 104 |
| 2022 | 3,312 | — | 111,424 | 25 | 75 |
| 2023 | 3,659 | — | 112,473 | 18 | 80 |
| 2024 | — | — | 114,100 | 29 | 74 |
Judicial discipline
Who regulates judges in Florida No published statistics
Complaints against Florida state judges are handled by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC). (Federal judges sitting in Florida are covered by the separate federal system.)
How complaints are filed
Complaints about Florida judges are filed in writing with the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC). Filing is free and confidential. The commission's jurisdiction covers judicial conduct — bias, demeanor, conflicts, delay, abuse of office — not the legal correctness of rulings, which must be challenged on appeal. Complaints are screened confidentially, and most are dismissed at that stage.
How complaints are counted
This state publishes no aggregate judicial discipline statistics of its own. No annual stats published.
How complaints are adjudicated
If screening indicates possible misconduct, the commission investigates and may file formal charges heard in a formal proceeding. In most states the commission's role ends in a recommendation, with final public discipline — censure, suspension, or removal — imposed by the state's highest court; in some, the commission itself imposes sanctions subject to review. Florida's exact division of authority is set by its constitution and court rules. Confidential dispositions (private cautions or advisory letters) never become public.
| Year | Complaints received | Formal charges filed | Private admonishments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 621 | 4 | — |
| 2012 | 659 | 4 | — |
| 2013 | 618 | 2 | — |
| 2014 | 684 | 4 | — |
| 2015 | 771 | 9 | 5 |
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- The Florida Bar (Lawyer Regulation / ACAP) — attorney discipline statistics
- The Florida Bar (Lawyer Regulation / ACAP) — main site
- ABA Survey on Lawyer Discipline Systems (S.O.L.D.)
- NCSC Center for Judicial Ethics — annual state judicial-discipline reviews