TALLAHASSEE (Florida Record) — Serially suspended Brandon attorney Richard Luther Bradford has been suspended yet again following an April 11 Florida Supreme Court order, this time after not notifying others about his latest suspensions, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Bradford was held in contempt of the court's Nov. 2, 2017, and May 3, 2018, orders for failing to fully comply with requirements of notifying clients, opposing counsel and tribunals of his suspension," the state bar said in its April 30 announcement of the discipline and the state Supreme Court's order.
In its two-page order, the state high court granted the state bar's petition for contempt before suspending Bradford for three years and ordered him to pay $1,250 in costs. Bradford was already suspended, which meant his latest suspension was effective immediately.
Bradford will have to comply with all the court's orders before he can successfully petition for reinstatement in Florida. 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 Bradford's suspension.
Bradford was admitted to the bar in Florida on Nov. 22, 1995, according to his profile at the state bar website.
Bradford previously was suspended about a year ago following a Supreme Court order over allegations arising from two client matters in which he allegedly failed to provide diligent and competent representation, to perform services and to communicate.
Bradford's prior disciplinary history included a state Supreme Court order handed down May 31, 2017, when he was held contempt after he allegedly failed to respond to the state bar inquiries. In November 2018, the high court suspended Bradford for 91 days after finding him in contempt for failing to comply with the terms of the prior suspension when he failed to notify his client that he had been suspended.
Bradford's most recent suspension was his fourth in about two years.