how long does it take for a lawyer to get back to you

by Dr. Kaela Ward IV 10 min read

Even if your lawyer is working on another case, they should still get back to you within a day or two at the most. Your lawyer owes you responsive communication, even if you're not their only client. There's no excuse for an attorney who takes weeks to return calls or emails.Jul 29, 2020

Full Answer

How long does it take to get a response from an attorney?

Usually the lower end of the response time is 7-days, and the upper end of the response time is 30-days. The other side can also request an extension of time, pushing the response date out even further.

When should I Change my Lawyer?

When you do talk with your attorney your stated concerns need to be addressed satisfactorily. If your are not satisfied after a fair and open conversation, then you may well want to consider changing counsel.

How long does it take to get a ruling in court?

At the hearing, a ruling may be made. Or the judge may decide the matter may require supplemental briefing. Or the court may take the matter under submission and review the papers and argument before deciding. And that can take days, weeks, or sometimes months.

How long does it take to file a rebuttal in court?

And that can take days, weeks, or sometimes months. There is no fixed answer to this. First, the other side needs an opportunity to respond. Then typically the moving party has a right of rebuttal. The matter comes up for hearing. This is often determined by the court’s calendar.

image

How long should it take a lawyer to respond to you?

Scott Aalsberg Esq. A: The lawyer should be responsive to your questions within 24-48 hours after you left a message. If the lawyer is not responsive, perhaps he or she is on vacation and unable to return.

Why do lawyers take so long to get back to you?

Once a case gets filed in court, things can really slow down. Common reasons why a case will take longer than one would hope can include: Trouble getting the defendant or respondent served. The case cannot proceed until the defendant on the case has been formally served with the court papers.

How do you get a lawyer to respond to you?

If your lawyer still does not respond, you can send him or her a letter explaining the communication problems. If at this point you do not hear anything from your lawyer, you should consult with a legal malpractice attorney.

Do lawyers call you back?

When a lawyer is not representing you, there is no particular time period during which the attorney has to call you back, in fact, the attorney is not required to call you back at all. I think it won't hurt for you to try a second call or an email, but, if the...

What should you not say to a lawyer?

Five things not to say to a lawyer (if you want them to take you..."The Judge is biased against me" Is it possible that the Judge is "biased" against you? ... "Everyone is out to get me" ... "It's the principle that counts" ... "I don't have the money to pay you" ... Waiting until after the fact.

Why do lawyers ignore you?

If your attorney is not experienced or efficient, they may have missed a deadline or made another mistake and aren't willing to confess their error. There could also be some bad news that is entirely outside of the attorney's control.

Is it normal not to hear from your attorney?

Throughout the process of getting your financial settlement after becoming injured, there may be periods of time that you do not hear from your attorney. Although this can be unnerving, it is a normal part of the legal process.

How often should you hear from your lawyer?

There is no set formula for how often you will hear from your attorney. However, the key to a successful attorney client relationship is communication. Whenever there is an important occurrence in your case you will be contacted or notified.

Why is my lawyer not communicating with me?

The lawyer may be too tied up on other cases to return the call personally, but may have time to pass along information through an assistant. And because some lawyers have poor communication skills, the defendant may be better off getting information from an assistant than from the lawyer.

Why do lawyers never return phone calls?

This is how the practice of law is supposed to work. So often when a lawyer does not return your call for a few days it may simply mean your lawyer is busy getting some important work done in your case or in another client's case. There is nothing going on with your case.

Can I sue a lawyer for lying?

No matter what name the agency in your state goes by, they will have a process you can use to file a complaint against your attorney for lying or being incompetent. Examples of these types of behavior include: Misusing your money. Failing to show up at a court hearing.

What is it called when a lawyer doesn't do his job?

Legal malpractice is a type of negligence in which a lawyer does harm to his or her client. Typically, this concerns lawyers acting in their own interests, lawyers breaching their contract with the client, and, one of the most common cases of legal malpractice, is when lawyers fail to act on time for clients.

Kenneth V. Zichi

Three weeks is a bit hasty. Do you know who is named in the will as the executor? THAT is the person you should be contacting, as the 'timing' of this is in that person's hands primarily. They have to hire the attorney, and unless and until an attorney is hired, they aren't going to be able to take any action to get the estate started.

Edward Joseph Smeltzer II

Three weeks is by no means time to set off any alarms and while it is disappointing that an attorney would consistently not return calls some attorneys are like that particularly with calls from non-clients. Keep in mind that the timing of any required notice is dependent on a fact not disclosed in your inititial post.

Henry Daniel Lively

Three weeks does not sound unreasonable. A lot has to be handled after someone dies. The funeral is the first priority. Death certificates must also be obtained, and this can take several weeks. You can hire your own attorney to represent your interests in this estate and follow the proceedings to make sure your rights are not violated...

Shelley L Fuller

Unless there are extenuating circumstances such as your attorney being in trial or be out of town on an emergency, eight days is, in my opinion, too long to wait for an answer. I would, however, follow up with your attorney to make sure your understanding of the law is accurate. More

Thomas K Coan

Eight days is probably pushing it for a 'reasonable' response time; but that really depends on a few things, including how urgently a response is required for action. The most common complaint that clients have about their attorneys, I've heard, is that we don't communicate quickly enough. There are a couple possible reasons...

Jay Bodzin

When you do talk with your attorney your stated concerns need to be addressed satisfactorily. If your are not satisfied after a fair and open conversation, then you may well want to consider changing counsel. I would give your attorney a fair opportunity to respond to and address your concerns. Good luck.

William A. Jones Jr

There is no absolute time line response to this question. I will assume you have retained a private criminal defense attorney to represent you in criminal court.

How long does it take for a judge to rule?

There’s no exact time limit on how fast a judge must do his work. In the states and federal courts I am familiar with, the lawyer files a motion and sets it for hearing about six weeks later, more or less, depending on the court’s docket. At the hearing, the judge may rule immediately or he may take the case under advisement. Most cases under advisement are decided within weeks but some can take months. There is little that can be done about a judge taking a long time to rule. In Louisiana for instance, the judge is supposed to file a monthly report listing the cases under advisement. Also, if

How long does it take for a court to decide a case?

Or the court may take the matter under submission and review the papers and argument before deciding. And that can take days, weeks, or sometimes months.

What to do if a judge is sitting on a motion?

There is little your attorney can do if the judge is sitting on a motion. If it’s a simple time sensitive motion, i.e. for an extension of time, we’ve called the judge’s chambers to ask the judge’s staff attorney or bailiff if a ruling is forthcoming (sometimes there’s a lag between things being posted to the docket and the judge ruling) so we can plan accordingly and/or to make sure the court knows a time sensitive motion is pending. In the case of motions like summary judgment, motions to dismiss, etc., when the judge has sat on it for a long time, we’ve asked for a status conference (kind of a gentle nudge to say, look, your honor, we’re all waiting on you here…). But otherwise, being honest, as an attorney, you don’t want to be seen as badgering the judge, so as frustrating as it is for us to wait, we wait.

How does a clerk for a state court judge work?

So here is how it works from the perspective of a clerk for a state court judge (or in my case D.C.). All parties file their papers with the court and then the judge's clerk will review the paperwork and write a memorandum to the judge explaining what the case is about, the issues the judge needs to decide, what the law is with regard to the issues, and then will make a recommendation to the judge as to what the clerk thinks is the right course of action.

How to file a motion in court?

You file your motion with the court clerk then you take a copy to the judge’s secretary and get the matter put on the next available motion docket. Share all the info with opposing counsel then go argue the motion. There is a motion docket every week, generally.

How long is the response time for a court case?

Usually the lower end of the response time is 7-days, and the upper end of the response time is 30-days. The other side can also request an extension of time, pushing the response date out even further. Until the response time has run, the judge shouldn’t make a ruling.

How long does it take for the other side to respond to a motion?

Usually the lower end of the response time is 7-days, and the upper end of the response time is 30-days.

How long does it take for a lawyer to get back to you?

A: A good lawyer will generally get back to you within 24 to 48 hours however you never know the reason why he didn't. He could be in trial or various other reasons so keep trying and if not satisfied you can always hire a new lawyer

Is it reasonable to return a voicemail within the same day?

It doesn't necessarily mean an instantaneous response - an attorney could be in court or deposition when a voice-mail arrives. But within the same day is considered reasonable by many to return calls. If someone is very busy or has pressing circumstances, the following day could be reasonable.

image