Orlando attorney Bruce Burtoff has been sitting in the Orange County Jail since March 4, locked up after a judge found him in contempt for refusing to reveal the names of two anonymous clients who sued their homeowners association. The 77‑year‑old lawyer is still behind bars while he pursues an emergency appeal, turning a neighborhood dispute into a high‑stakes fight over attorney‑client confidentiality and a court’s power to enforce its orders in a long‑running HOA war.
In an emergency petition filed April 6 in the Sixth District Court of Appeal, Burtoff’s lawyer asked the court to throw out the contempt order, arguing that forcing him to identify the “Jane Doe” and “Joe Doe” plaintiffs would violate the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar and the attorney‑client privilege, as laid out in a filing with the Florida courts. “Immediate intervention is required to restore his liberty,” the petition states. The paperwork traces a series of trial‑court orders, a February 11 contempt proceeding, and an amended writ of bodily attachment that culminated in his March 4 arrest.
How the court responded
Circuit Judge John Jordan ordered the anonymous plaintiffs to show up in court with identification in late January, then directed Burtoff to hand over their names and contact information by February 3. When the Does did not appear, and Burtoff still refused to identify them, the court held a brief contempt hearing on February 11 and issued an order that included a purge condition and a $500‑per‑day fine. Deputies later executed an amended writ and booked Burtoff into jail on March 4, according to court records. Judge Jordan has since disqualified himself from the case, and separate coverage notes he agreed to a public reprimand in an unrelated ethics matter, as reported by ClickOrlando.
Legal implications…