Florida Supreme Court Disbars Attorney for Misdirecting Real-Estate Closing Escrow Funds

Published Nov. 6, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

Buyers who wire closing money to a “neutral” settlement agent expect those funds to follow the closing disclosure—not fund the seller’s affiliates. On Sept. 18, 2025, the Supreme Court of Florida disbarred Alejandro L. Marriaga in The Florida Bar v. Marriaga, No. SC2024-1241, rejecting a referee’s recommended three-year suspension [1].

Status: Disbarred; the opinion states disbarment is effective 30 days from filing so Marriaga can protect clients, unless the court orders otherwise [1].

What the court found

According to the Supreme Court of Florida [1]:

1. Marriaga, of Marriaga Law Group / Lawyers Title Network, served as Steel X Homes’ attorney, manager, and registered agent while also acting as purported neutral settlement/escrow agent for buyers contracting with Steel X.
2. He intentionally misdirected closing funds, failed to disclose conflicts, and violated trust-accounting rules—including diverting builder draws and escrow amounts to Steel X and affiliates without buyer authorization (including at least about $41,389.56 identified in the opinion’s discussion of improper diversions).
3. The court held intentional escrow misconduct warranted disbarment, not a rehabilitative suspension.

The person disbarred

Alejandro L. Marriaga, Florida. Sole practitioner / Lawyers Title Network. Disbarred Sept. 18, 2025 (Florida Bar v. Marriaga, SC2024-1241) [1].

Case status (as of Nov. 6, 2026)

Respondent	Court	Status	Source
Alejandro L. Marriaga	Supreme Court of Florida, SC2024-1241	Disbarred Sept. 18, 2025 (effective per opinion’s 30-day provision)	[1]

Disciplinary status changes only through further court action.

Sources

1. Supreme Court of Florida, The Florida Bar v. Alejandro L. Marriaga, No. SC2024-1241 (Sept. 18, 2025). https://flcourts-media.flcourts.gov/content/download/2460810/opinion/Opinion_SC2024-1241.pdf