TALLAHASSEE — Tarpon Springs attorney Amie Katherine Dilla has been suspended following a Jan. 31 Florida Supreme Court order after she allegedly failed to respond to an official disciplinary inquiry, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Dilla failed to respond to an official bar inquiry so the Bar filed a petition for contempt and order to show cause with the Supreme Court of Florida," the state bar said in its Feb. 27 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order. "The court issued an Order to Show Cause to Dilla, but she failed to respond."
In its two-page order, the state Supreme Court granted the state bar's petition and held Dilla in contempt. As a sanction, the court suspended Dilla until she fully responds in writing to the state bar's official inquiry and until further court order.
Dilla's suspension was effective 30 days from the date of the court's order to allow her time to close out her practice and protect her existing clients' interests, according to the high court's order.
The court also ordered Dilla 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 Dilla's suspension.
Dilla was admitted to the bar in Florida on July 26, 2010, according to her profile at the state bar website. No prior discipline before the state bar is listed on Dilla's state bar profile.
The state bar filed its petition for contempt and order to show cause after a grievance committee found Dilla in noncompliance and in contempt after she allegedly failed to respond to the inquiry.
Neither the Supreme Court's order nor the state bar's petition provides any details about why the disciplinary proceedings against Dilla were initiated.