Lawyers punished for e-mailed insults

TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The Florida Supreme Court sanctioned two lawyers who engaged in a series of heated e-mail arguments that included personal insults.

The Florida Bar, which brought the complaints against Nicholas Mooney, 50, of Tampa, and Kurt Mitchell, 36, of Palmetto, said the men were on opposite sides of a lawsuit against Volkswagen of America and were exchanging e-mails to schedule hearings and depositions in May 2008 when the messages turned insulting, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Friday.

The name-calling began when Mooney, who was representing the car company, referred to Mitchell as a "junior" lawyer and the younger attorney responded by calling him an "old hack," the report said.

The Florida Bar said the insults continued with Mitchell accusing Mooney of "retardism" and Mooney, who has a disabled son, responded by implying Mitchell's children might not be his own.

The lawsuit was later dismissed by a judge.

Mitchell was suspended for 10 days and ordered to complete an anger management class. Mooney received a public reprimand and was ordered to take a class on professionalism.