TALLAHASSEE — Longtime Hollywood attorney and former judge Jay S. Spechler has been suspended following a Feb. 27 Florida Supreme Court order over an initially anonymous online post in 2018, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Spechler posted a statement on a courthouse blog toward a judge that could be perceived as threatening," the state bar said in its March 19 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order.
In its two-page order, the Supreme Court approved Spechler's stipulation as to probable cause and the consent judgment reached between Spechler and the state bar before suspending him for 45 days. The consent judgment also includes Spechler's unconditional guilty plea.
Spechler's suspension was 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.
The high court also ordered Spechler 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 Spechler's suspension.
Spechler was admitted to the bar in Florida in 1979, according to the announcement.
Spechler, 66, has been in private practice in Hollywood since he resigned from the Broward County Circuit Court bench in 2008, following about 20 years as a judge. He also long "maintained a close personal relationship with retired Broward County Judge Thomas Lynch and his family," the consent judgment said.
In June 2018, the message "Your intimidation and scare tactics will come to a screeching halt, just like your pathetic miserable lives. Waiting is the hardest part” was posted to the court chat and gossip site jaablaw.com.
The message ultimately was found to have been keyed by Spechler, according to the consent judgment.
Lynch contacted police but no criminal charges were ever filed.
"[Spechler] recognizes that he allowed his personal emotions which he deemed in defense of his family to overtake his better judgment," the consent judgment said. "[Spechler] is deeply sorry for his actions and regrets engaging in the conduct which occurred herein."
Spechler waived his right to have the matter considered by a grievance committee and stipulated to probable cause in the case, according to the consent judgment.