In a resounding judgment, the Florida Supreme Court has disbarred a former Miami-Dade County judge, concluding a chapter marked by accusations of financial misconduct and misrepresentation. Miguel Fernando Mirabal, who once pursued the robes of justice through electoral means, now finds himself barred from practicing law in the very state where he sought to uphold it, according to NBC Miami.
The court pinpointed a "deliberate pattern of dishonesty" in Mirabal's actions, which included erroneously certified campaign finance reports during a 2018 judicial race and omissions in an application to a judicial nominating commission, he sought to amend the reports post-qualification yet the inflated numbers lingered during a crucial timeframe, potentially impacting other candidates' decisions to enter the race, it is this pattern that precipitated the unanimous decision for disbarment, as per the same report.
Mirabal's stint as a county judge in 2020 was short-lived; he resigned less than four months into his term amidst unfolding investigations. His election to the bench is now overshadowed by the unanimous Supreme Court opinion, which stated, "Mirabal engaged in a deliberate pattern of dishonesty." The allegations and subsequent findings have culminated in a ruling that prevents Mirabal from practicing law within Florida, effectively ending his legal career within the state, as reported by NBC Miami.
Defense attorneys previously sought leniency for Mirabal, arguing that his missteps were not intentional but rather rooted in negligence. They suggested a one-year suspension might be a more fitting punishment, considering Mirabal's previously clean disciplinary slate and his services to the community, which, according to his counsel's brief mentioned in the NBC Miami coverage, stemmed from a sense of duty imparted by his parents, who were political prisoners in Cuba. Nonetheless, the court found Mirabal's actions too egregious to be excused as simple lapses of memory or coincidence. Therefore, the severe disciplinary action of disbarment was affirmed, serving as a staunch warning against misconduct among legal professionals, as cited in NBC Miami's investigative piece.
