THE FLORIDA BAR v. MERCEDES GONZALEZ HALE (2018)

The Florida Bar filed a Petition for Contempt alleging that the Respondent has failed to respond to official Bar inquiries. This Court issued an Order to Show Cause to the Respondent to respond by a date certain why she should not be held in contempt and suspended until such time as she fully complied in writing to the official Bar inquiries. In her notice of compliance, Respondent alleges that she has now complied with the inquiries, and the Bar has filed a notice confirming her compliance, albeit not in a timely manner. The Court takes very seriously every attorney's obligation to completely and timely respond to inquiries made by The Florida Bar. Therefore, because this Respondent did not respond to the inquiries in a timely manner, Mercedes Gonzalez Hale is hereby held in contempt and is hereby publicly reprimanded.

Judgment is entered for The Florida Bar, 651 East Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2300, for recovery of costs from Mercedes Gonzalez Hale in the amount of $1,250.00, for which sum let execution issue.

NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION AND, IF FILED, DETERMINED.

A True Copy

Test:

John A. Tomasino Clerk, Supreme Court

as

Served:

KATRINA S. BROWN

MERCEDES GONZALEZ HALE

ADRIA E. QUINTELA

LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, POLSTON, and LAWSON, JJ., concur.