Florida lawyer is permanently disbarred for DUI setup
Florida lawyer Stephen Diaco has been permanently disbarred for his role in setting up an opposing lawyer for a drunken driving arrest during a 2013 trial.
The Florida Supreme Court permanently disbarred (PDF) Diaco on Thursday after he dropped appeals in the ethics case, report the Tampa Tribune and the Tampa Bay Times.
The Florida Bar had accused Diaco and two other lawyers of sending a paralegal to a Tampa steakhouse where the opposing lawyer was having drinks. The flirtatious paralegal seated herself next to the opposing lawyer and later tricked him into moving her car, resulting in his arrest by a waiting police officer, according to the ethics complaint.
The court previously suspended Diaco and two other lawyers accused in the setup in sua sponte orders on Jan. 15. An ethics referee recommended permanent disbarment for the trio in August.
