TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Supreme Court ruled to suspend Miami attorney Cyrus A. Bischoff from the practice of law as a result of the attorney’s alleged misconduct in a federal lawsuit.
According to the complaint, the attorney filed a lawsuit on behalf of a female client against multiple defendants. The suit was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and was presided over by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. and U.S. Magistrate Judge Alicia M. Otazo-Reyes. During this trial, Bischoff allegedly “engaged in an ongoing pattern of misconduct.”
Examples of the attorney’s charges include “raising frivolous arguments.” In one instance, the attorney continued to litigate an issue that was clearly defined in legal rules and regulations. In another matter, the attorney filed for an extension but did not provide any proof or documentation of his efforts to communicate with opposing counsel, court records state.
Bischoff also allegedly made several “misrepresentations” such as claiming his client had responded to motions for discovery when she had not. The client’s failure to respond the discovery requests became another charge against the attorney.
The attorney was also charged with violating court orders, including proposing a deposition date for his client that specifically went against the previously ordered date set by the court. When the client attended her deposition, she and Bischoff refused to answer questions from more than one of the defendants, according to court documents.
Eventually, Bischoff’s case was dismissed and the court ordered sanctions against him. The attorney will be suspended for one year.
Bischoff is a graduate of the Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in September 2001 and had no prior record of discipline.