TALLAHASSEE (Florida Record) — Tampa attorney Crystal Lynn Turner Sebago faces voluntary suspension following a May 30 Florida Supreme Court order over allegations arising from a personal injury case that resulted in two disciplinary proceedings, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Sebago represented the plaintiff in two jury trials concerning the client's personal injury case," the state bar said in its June 21 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order. "The first jury trial resulted in a mistrial and the entry of an order of civil contempt against Sebago, which was the subject of a separate bar disciplinary matter."
In the second trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Sebago's client, according to the announcement.
"Thereafter, the defendants filed a motion for mistrial, which was granted," the announcement said. "The trial court found that Sebago engaged in various acts of misconduct during the trial, and that it had erred in allowing in certain evidence she introduced."
In its two-page order, the Supreme Court approved the uncontested referee's report filed in the matter before suspending Sebago for 90 days and ordering her to pay more than $8,615 in costs. Sebago's suspension will be effective 30 days from the date of the court's order to allow her time to close her practice and protect her existing clients' interests, according to the high court's order.
Sebago was admitted to the bar in Florida on Oct. 5, 2007, according to her profileat the state bar website.
Sebago was suspended for 20 days following a June 2016 Supreme Court order following a referee's report issued in the state bar allegations in multiple client matters, including the personal injury case referenced in the more recent disciplinary matter. In that referee's report, Sebago was alleged to have, among other things, failed to obey a court order, engaged in unprofessional behavior during a deposition, filing a pleading with incorrect statements, failing to participate in arbitration and missing discovery deadlines.
In the more recent disciplinary matter, the referee recommended that Sebago be found guilty of violating professional conduct rules, including those regarding fairness to opposing party and counsel and not engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.