TALLAHASSEE (Florida Record) — Ponte Vedra Beach attorney Christopher John Bondani faces a brief suspension and probation following an April 25 Florida Supreme Court order over two 2017 DUI arrests in separate Florida counties, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Bondani was arrested twice in October 2017 for driving while under the influence," the state bar said in its April 30 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order. "In Duval County, he entered a no contest plea to the amended charge of reckless driving, a second-degree misdemeanor, and in St. Johns County, he entered a no contest plea to the charge of driving under the influence, a misdemeanor. The trial courts in both cases adjudicated him guilty and sentenced him to 12 months of probation with conditions of supervision."
In its two page order, the state high court suspended Bondani for 10 days, to be followed by three years' supervised probation. The court also ordered Bondani to pay almost $1,378 in costs.
Bondani's suspension will be effective 30 days from the date of the court's order to allow him time to close his practice and protect his existing clients' interests, according to the high court's order.
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 Bondani's suspension.
Bondani was admitted to the bar in Florida on May 25, 2010, according to his profile at the state bar website. No prior discipline before the state bar is listed on Bondani's state bar profile.
Bondani was arrested in St. Johns County on Oct. 12, 2017 on a DUI charge "after being involved in a minor automobile accident," according to the consent judgment filed with the court.
The consent judgment also includes Bondani's conditional guilty plea.
Nearly two weeks later, Bondani was arrested in Duval County on a DUI charge after another "minor automobile accident," the consent judgment said.
Bondani later was sentenced to supervised probation in both cases.