Your lawyer may have tactical reasons for not wanting to give you copies as well as ethical and legal reasons they may not be able to turn it over to you (at least not without redacting witness information). * This will flag comments for moderators to take action. You can't. The discovery/transcript will only be given to lawyers.
Still, whether it's a divorce or you're being taken to court for something else, if you don't have a lawyer, a logical move would be to call the courthouse and ask who they would suggest going to. You think you're the first person who couldn't afford a lawyer?
Your attorney may be in violation of attorney ethical rules. You should provide him one more opportunity to provide you copies of your file by making a written request. If he fails to comply, you should explore filing a grievance with the state supreme court's attorney regulation office. * This will flag comments for moderators to take action.
Also, ask your state bar association for assistance. If that doesn't work, as a last resort you may need to sue your lawyer in small claims court, asking the court for money to compensate you for what you've spent on redoing work in the file or trying to get the file.
Discovery, in the law of common law jurisdictions, is a pre-trial procedure in a lawsuit in which each party, through the law of civil procedure, can obtain evidence from the other party or parties by means of discovery devices such as interrogatories, requests for production of documents, requests for admissions and ...
If the plaintiff does not respond to the court order, then you can file a Motion to Dismiss and you may win your case. Send a final request. If they do not respond to the final request within 30 days you can send the court an. All of the admissions are deemed as "admitted."
Make it a lead-off “general objection.” Object to anything that is not relevant to the “subject matter” (no longer the standard) or not likely to lead to admissible evidence (no longer the standard). Don't say if anything is being withheld on the basis of the objection. Use boilerplate wording from form files.
Failing To Respond To Discovery Can Lead To A Dismissal Of Your Case With Prejudice. In the practice of law, the discovery phase can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. Interrogatories, requests for documents, and depositions can make or break your case.
If they produce documents which prove not to be producible under R. 7-1(1), they may be guilty of breaching their client's confidence; yet if they decline to produce they may breach their duty as officer of the court.
The purpose of Rule 37 is to establish and regulate a judicial case management system to apply at any stage after notice of intention to defend or oppose is filed.
(Rios) (1992) 7 CA4th 1384, 1391. Unduly burdensome requests are a misuse of the discovery process. Employing a discovery method in a manner or to an extent that causes unwarranted annoyance, embarrassment, or oppression or undue burden and expense is one of the examples of misuses of the discovery process.
When you respond to a discovery request, you should make sure to do it within the timeframe listed in the discovery request or in the “scheduling order” if the judge issued one. In some cases, the judge will hold a court conference to establish a timeframe for discovery, motions, and the trial.
An overly broad discovery request lacks specificity as to time, place, and/or subject matter being requested. However, overbroad is not a valid objection unless it can be shown that the request imposes an undue burden or seeks discovery that is not relevant to the subject matter of the case.
To sanction a party failing to comply with discovery, the court can order attorney's fees, or they can order the fact you are seeking to establish as having been “established” for purposes of your case, because the other side will not respond to the discovery on this issue.
If a spouse fails to produce any mandatory disclosures or discovery requested of him or her, the other spouse may serve a Subpoena Duces Tecum (a subpoena seeking documents) directly to the bank, investment, or lending institution where the spouse has accounts to obtain the documents.
Discovery Sanctions: Punishment for failure to obey discovery rules. (a) Federal Rules of Civil Procedure "Rule 37. Failure to Make Disclosure or Cooperate in Discovery: Sanctions . . .
To sanction a party failing to comply with discovery, the court can order attorney's fees, or they can order the fact you are seeking to establish as having been “established” for purposes of your case, because the other side will not respond to the discovery on this issue.
Courts enforce their orders by imposing sanctions on a party who fails to comply. Sanctions can be monetary, such as requiring one party to pay the other parties attorneys' fees and/or imposing a monetary fine, or they can hamper a party's ability to put on their case.
Motion for Sanctions – If the court issues an order compelling discovery, and the party fails to comply with that order, then the court may sanction the party in numerous ways such as refusing to let in the party's evidence at trial, dismissing their lawsuit, or striking their defense to a lawsuit, and imposing ...
If the defendant does not reply to your claim, you can ask the court to enter judgment 'by default' (that is, make an order that the defendant pay you the amount you have claimed because no reply has been received). You should do this as soon as possible after the 14 days have passed.
Lawyer Discipline Agency. An agency in each state is responsible for investigating complaints about lawyers. If the lawyer is found to have violated an ethics or court rule, he or she will be reprimanded, fined, and perhaps suspended or disbarred (license to practice law revoked).
Bar association programs to help clients and lawyers resolve disputes. The parties agree in advance to accept the decision of an independent arbitrator. These services are often free, or impose only modest charges.
If he fails to comply, you should explore filing a grievance with the state supreme court's attorney regulation office.
Your attorney may be in violation of attorney ethical rules. You should provide him one more opportunity to provide you copies of your file by making a written request. If he fails to comply, you should explore filing a grievance with the state supreme court's attorney regulation office. Report Abuse. Report Abuse.
If the attorney doesn't surrender the file, then, I'd think that your next step would be a complaint to the Bar Association. Report Abuse. Report Abuse.
She/He must return your entire file within a reasonable time even if you owe money. An attorney can not hold hostage your file.
If your attorney does not reply via email, then you should call their office. A phone call is more direct and personal than an email. Since you speak to your lawyer over the telephone, you should be able to better gauge why they have not followed through with activities that you feel are important.
The best, most unobtrusive way to start getting your attorney’s attention is by sending them an email. Lawyers regularly check their emails, so it is a good way to see if someone from their office will respond to you. If your attorney does not reply via email, then you should call their office.
To be proactive from the beginning of your relationship with your attorney, the first thing that you can do is to let them know your concrete expectations. Some lawyers and clients will sign a contract with one another about expected fees, timetables, and the availability of the lawyer.
People have problems with their lawyers for a variety of reasons, but some of the main issues involve: 1 Fee conflicts 2 Issues involving communication or neglect 3 Competency problems 4 Ethical concerns
Sending a letter is another good way to get your point across to your lawyer. In the letter, you may want to state a specific date that you expect to hear from them, or that you want them to complete something. While going through the stages of a divorce, there are several deadlines that your lawyer will need to meet.
Competency problems. Ethical concerns. Any of these areas can cause major concerns for people who have hired a lawyer to help protect their personal interests. If you have these types of concerns about your attorney, then you must be proactive about protecting your well-being, and proving your side of the case.
Once someone files a complaint about a particular lawyer with a governing board (such as the boards mentioned above), then an investigation occurs regarding the practice of that lawyer. The case is typically handed over to a grievance committee that reviews lawyers’ work and ethics.
In a criminal proceeding, if you can't afford legal assistance, a court will appoint an attorney for you. In a civil case, generally described as a dispute between two private parties, to get legal representation, you have to get creative. Here's how to find legal help if you can't afford a lawyer:
The Akron Bar Association, in Akron, Ohio, is an example of what's out there. You can call the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 9 to 11 a.m., as part of their Ask an Attorney Service, and they'll answer legal questions for free.
Legal aid societies are nonprofit organizations found in almost every corner of the country that provide free legal services to low-income people. While this is certainly worth exploring, the problem for many households is that the individual or couple makes too much money to qualify for help.
That is, if you lose your case, you won't pay money, but if you win, the law firm will take a portion of the money awarded to you. However, it's important to tread carefully before picking a lawyer. Choose a reputable attorney and make sure the rate is agreed upon before the lawyer takes your case.
It's risky for lawyers to take cases on contingency, and they need to be confident a judge or jury will side with you, and that there's going to be something sizable awarded to you. While no legal expert will suggest you represent yourself, it is an option if you're in a financial bind.
For instance, you can't go to small claims court if you're trying to work out your financial affairs after a divorce. But if the stakes are fairly low where someone owes you money or is trying to collect money from you, and it isn't worth risking lawyer fees, you might consider small claims court.
An attorney might give you a discount. Also, many attorneys offer payment plans, so that you're paying monthly instead of one huge sum all at once. Of course, you could hit the jackpot and find a pro bono lawyer, or you might find someone willing to take your case on contingency.
Tell the Truth. If your lawyer doubts you in the consultation, or doesn't think you have a case, while that may change over time, getting over an initial disbelief is very hard. You have to prove your case. Your attorney is not your witness. They are your advocate - but you are responsible for coming up with proof.
If you don't pay your lawyer on the day of trial, or however you have agreed to, then while he or she may be obligated by other ethical duties to do his/her best, they won't be motivated by sympathy for you, and it will show in court.
Most people hired attorneys because they don't want to sit in court. Well, truth be told, neither do I. The difference between lawyer and client is that the lawyer expects it to take a long time and understands. The client typically thinks it's unjustified. So, your hard truth is that each case takes time. Be patient.
Credibility is one of the most important things in this world - and most important in a courtroom. If you care enough only to wear sweats to the courthouse, then the judge will see that you don't care, and that will be reflected in their desire to help you, listen to you, and decide in your favor. Step it up.
If the judge can see your boobs, he's not listening to your story. If I can see your boobs, then I know you didn't care enough about yourself to talk to an attorney. Dress like you are going to church. Credibility is one of the most important things in this world - and most important in a courtroom.
If no one can confirm that the story is true, you will at least need something external, such as a hard copy document, to prove your case. Be prepared.
While lawyers can certainly take your money and your time and we can file a case that will be very hard to win, if you don't care enough about your life to get a contract, the judge is not very likely to be on your side. At least, not automatically. Oral contracts are extremely hard to prove. What are the terms.
For injury, malpractice, and accident litigation, an attorney will want to know whether an insurance company, corporate employer, or government entity is involved. Otherwise, there may be nobody with sufficient assets to cover the costs of a lawsuit.
Before drafting a complaint, your attorney must verify and familiarize himself with the facts of your case, collect your medical records, determine the best legal theory to argue, and research relevant case law. These steps often take longer than clients expect, but they are necessary to avoid sloppy pleadings.
While they may practice the broader area of law, they may not specialize in the niche that you need. Rather than arguing or demanding that they accept your case, ask for a referral to someone with the correct speciality.
The ability to handle expensive cases will vary between firms. Some small firms and solo practices are unable to afford any significantly expensive cases. Others can only handle a few at a time. Larger firms may accept more expensive cases, but even they will reject a case that seems too risky.
It never pays to wait till the last minute to start searching for attorneys. If you have a month or less before your SOL deadline, you may find it difficult to secure an attorney. Most attorneys are unable to drop their current case work to prioritize your last-minute claim.
If you have a meeting with your lawyer, there’s a good chance you took time off from work, secured childcare, or had other obligations that you changed or gave up in order to be at the meeting. Your lawyer shouldn’t waste your time, be unprepared, or mishandle your funds or documents.
Reason #1: Your lawyer isn’t returning your calls. Lack of communication is a big problem for some law firm clients. Yes, legal practices are very busy. They have lots of clients — not just you. However, before a lawyer signs on to take your case, they need to know if the firm has the capacity to handle it. There’s no excuse for not returning phone ...
Malpractice could be intentional or by accident. If your lawyer has done anything that has cost you the ability to win or settle your case, or that had a detrimental effect on your proceeding, it could be considered malpractice.
If your case is already filed within the court system, you (or your new attorney) will need to file notice with the court that you are now represented by new counsel. Your new attorney will file a “motion for substitution of counsel” and your old attorney will file a motion to withdraw.
Pay off your balance immediately because the lawyer could hold your case files until they receive payment. If you know your lawyer isn’t working for you, but you don’t have a second lawyer yet, please feel free to use the Enjuris Personal Injury Law Firm Directory to find a lawyer near you who can take your case.
Reason #4: You disagree with your lawyer’s advice. You retain legal counsel because you need advice. However, the lawyer should still take your wishes into consideration. The lawyer could be pressuring you to accept a settlement that you think is too low to cover your costs after an accident.
Hire a new lawyer first, and then fire the old one. Write a termination letter. Any time you modify or terminate a contract, it must be in writing.