Florida Judge Dismisses Countersuit by Former Miami Attorney Over Real Estate Fraud; Lawyer Diverts $1.8M

A Florida state judge dismissed a countersuit by a former Miami city attorney, citing the state's litigation privilege doctrine. The lawsuit, which involved allegations of real estate fraud, was deemed barred under this doctrine. The case was dismissed on a technicality related to the plaintiffs’ use of pseudonyms, as the judge ruled the case did not meet the criteria for anonymity. Additionally, a civil lawsuit filed in Polk County on August 21 accuses Jason Penrod, owner of Family Elder Law, of diverting nearly $1.8 million from a client’s trust fund for personal gambling at Tampa’s Seminole Hard Rock Casino. Penrod was subsequently arrested for stealing the funds and gambling them away.