TALLAHASSEE (Florida Record) – Coral Gables attorney James Casimir Casey faces suspension following an Aug. 23 Florida Supreme Court order over allegations he missed a deadline for replying to a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by his client, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Casey's failure to respond to a motion to dismiss plaintiff's complaint by the deadline resulted in the court entering a final order of dismissal," the state bar said in its Aug. 31 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order. "Casey also failed to communicate with his client and failed to return his client's files after repeated requests."
Casey's 20-day suspension will be effective 30 days from the date of the court's order to allow him time to close out his practice and protect his existing clients' interests, according to the high court's order. Casey also was ordered to pay $1,250 in costs.
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 Casey's suspension
Casey was admitted to the bar in Florida on Sept. 16, 1985, according to his profile at the state bar website. No prior discipline before the state bar is listed on Casey's state bar profile.
Casey waived his right to be heard by a grievance committee and stipulated to probably causing the proceedings against him, according to the consent judgment filed with the court. The consent judgment also includes Casey's unconditional guilty plea.
Allegations against Casey stem from his representation of a client in a lawsuit against the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, filed in May 2013 in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Broward County, according to the consent judgment. The following December, the DEA filed a motion to dismiss and in 2014 Casey requested additional time to respond to the motion, saying he had not received a copy of the motion. The following month, the court denied Casey's request for additional time and dismissed the case without prejudice.