TALLAHASSEE (Florida Record) — Suspended Cooper City attorney Melissa A. Heaton has been suspended again following a June 7 Florida Supreme Court order after her plea to an illegal drug charge, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"A determination of guilt for a felony was rendered against Heaton in the criminal division for Broward County," the state bar said in its July 31 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order. "She pleaded no contest to illegal drug possession."
Heaton's one-year suspension was made retroactive to Oct. 24, 2017, the date the state bar filed its notice of determination of guilt with the Supreme Court, according to the court's single-page order and the state bar's announcement. Heaton was already suspended, so her most recent suspension was effective immediately.
Florida court orders are not final until time to file a rehearing motion expires. Filing such a motion does not alter the effective date of Heaton's suspension.
Heaton was admitted to the bar in July 6, 2007, according to her profile at the state bar website.
Heaton was suspended for the first time in Florida following a September 2015 Supreme Court order in which she was found in contempt for allegedly failing to respond to a show cause order. That suspension followed an August 2014 grievance filed by a former client, alleging Heaton failed to communicate with her, despite multiple requests, and that she didn't produce a promised opinion letter, according to a state bar petition for contempt filed at the time.
Heaton was again suspended, this time for 91 days, following an October 2016 Supreme Court order, which again found her in contempt in reference to the 2015 suspension. Heaton was suspended for a year in March 2017, following a Supreme Court order that month, after again being found in contempt in reference to the 2015 suspension.
The following July, Heaton was suspended for a fourth time following a state Supreme Court order that month, again finding her in contempt in reference to the 2015 suspension.