The Florida Supreme Court has revoked former St. Augustine Mayor Joseph Lester Boles Jr.’s ability to practice law in the state. Boles’ license was temporarily suspended last year, but the new move means he won’t be able to reapply to practice law in Florida for five years.

Last year, the Florida Bar Association filed complaints against the prominent elder law attorney, alleging three instances in which Boles named himself — and, in one case, his law partner and stepson, too — as a representative or successor to an elderly and terminally ill person’s estate or trust. 

Boles received just 90 days’ suspension, in part due to his standing in the community and his 38 years of serving as an attorney with no prior disciplinary actions. 

Since then, more complaints have arisen, including one in which, per the Florida Bar, Boles “sold a decedent’s home to his daughter allegedly for lower than fair market value.”

After five years, Boles can seek readmission to the bar.

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Boles served as the mayor of St. Augustine from 2006 to 2014, when he lost his bid for a third term to Nancy Shaver. He also served for a time as chair of the St. Johns County Council on Aging.