The integrity of the judiciary is the foundation of public trust in the legal system. When a legal professional seeks judicial office through deceptive means, the consequences are definitive. For Coral Gables-based attorney and former judge-elect Miguel Fernando Mirabal (also known as Mike Mirabal, Bar No. 938181), a pattern of deceptive conduct has resulted in permanent disbarment.
Effective August 10, 2024 (30 days following a July 11 court order), the Supreme Court of Florida ordered that Mirabal be removed from the practice of law, citing a “basic, fundamental dishonesty” that the profession cannot tolerate.
The Core Misconduct: Judicial Campaign Fraud
The Florida Bar investigation into Mirabal revealed a series of intentional misrepresentations made during his various pursuits of judicial office between 2018 and 2020. The Supreme Court’s decision (Case No. SC2021-1469) highlighted three major areas of misconduct:
1. Campaign Finance Misrepresentations
During his 2018 election campaign, Mirabal was found to have made multiple false statements and omissions in his campaign finance reports. This included inflating reported funds to create a false impression of his campaign’s financial strength.
2. Dishonesty in Judicial Applications
The court found that Mirabal carried this pattern of deception into his 2019 application for a judicial appointment and his 2020 election campaign. He failed to disclose relevant information and provided misleading answers to the Judicial Nominating Commission.
3. Undermining Public Confidence
The Supreme Court noted that as an officer of the court seeking a seat on the bench, Mirabal had a heightened duty to act with “the utmost integrity.” By engaging in deceptive campaign practices, he undermined the public’s perception of the judiciary.
A Decisive Judicial Timeline
Miguel Fernando Mirabal had been licensed in Florida since 2004, but his career was ultimately ended by the Florida Supreme Court after years of litigation:
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2021: The Florida Bar filed a formal complaint following a Florida Elections Commission finding that Mirabal violated campaign finance laws.
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February 7, 2024: The Florida Supreme Court heard oral arguments. While the referee initially recommended a suspension, the Bar argued for the ultimate sanction of disbarment.
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July 11, 2024: The Florida Supreme Court issued its final opinion, rejecting a lighter sentence and ordering Disbarment.
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August 10, 2024: The disbarment became effective, rendering Mirabal permanently ineligible to practice law in Florida.
Impact on the Miami-Dade Judiciary
Mirabal’s case was particularly notable because he had actually been elected as a Miami-Dade County Court Judge in 2020. However, due to the pending investigations into his 2018 campaign conduct, he never actually took the bench. His resignation and subsequent disbarment served as a final resolution to a multi-year ethics crisis in the local court system.
In its opinion, the Court stated:
“Mirabal exhibited basic, fundamental dishonesty with his conduct in this case… such a serious flaw cannot be tolerated by a profession that relies on the truthfulness of its members.”
Conclusion: A Final Measure of Accountability
The disbarment of Miguel Fernando Mirabal underscores that in the eyes of the Florida Supreme Court, there is no room for “shortcut” ethics in the pursuit of power. For the public, it serves as a reminder of the rigorous oversight applied to those who wish to serve as judges. To check the current standing of any Florida attorney, the Florida Bar Member Search remains the definitive resource.
