how to get your money back when you win a lawsuit and your lawyer steals your money

by Roberta Hand 8 min read

Can I get my money back if I take him to court?

If you enter into a written agreement then find out the debtor was playing you and hiding other assets, you may not be able to collect those other assets if you agreed not to pursue them. 5. Keep Tabs on the Debtor and Consider Hiring an Expert Many debtors will try to keep assets concealed in one way or another.

Can I get my money back from an ex-lawyer?

you renew your judgment or add your collection costs. You must get a new abstract with the changed amount. File it to replace the old one. You can place a lien on your debtor’s: • Real property, like land and buildings. (You must file your Abstract of Judgment in the recorder’s office of the county where your debtor owns real property.)

Do you get paid if you win a small claims case?

Jul 07, 2011 · This is called a retainer. If you fire a lawyer to whom you have paid a retainer, you are entitled to a refund of whatever money remains of the retainer after the lawyer is paid for his services up through the time you fired him. Once you fire him, he must prepare and give you a written accounting of the funds and a refund check.

Can I get my money back from a lawyer I fired?

Feb 05, 2018 · Keep track of all your attempts to get your money back or your home repair fixed. This includes written and spoken correspondence, but also any social media tweets, texts, reviews, or postings and any response to those postings. While your postings may not get your money back, they’re a great way to find other victims of the same contractor.

What to do if you disagree with your attorney?

Bar Association Assistance. If you and your former attorney disagree on the amount of refund you are due, you can usually get help. State and local agencies that regulate attorney conduct in each state, called bar associations, often offer fee arbitration services.

What happens if you lose a contingency agreement?

In a contingency arrangement, you pay no fees up front, and if you lose, you owe your attorney nothing. If you win, however, the attorney retains a set percentage as his fee. Since you do not give the lawyer any money up front, you cannot demand a refund if you fire the attorney before trial. On the other hand, if you replace him with another attorney and continue the litigation, he may and probably will claim part of any attorney fees won by your new counsel.

What does "rob Peter to pay Paul" mean?

In other words, they use the funds they collect from one customer to complete or pay for the job of another. It’s a dangerous way to run a business, but many contractors do it. For contractors who have walked off of your job, or are slow to complete certain phases of it, ...

How to file a complaint with the state licensing board?

There are three ways to file your complaint with the board (Phone numbers vary from state-to-state, so search for your state board online by searching on your state, and filing a licensing complaint): Call to have a Complaint Form mailed to you OR. Use the online complaint Form, OR. Download and Print a Complaint Form.

What is the limit for small claims court?

Small claims court. If the amount is $10,000 or less , or whatever limits your state’s small claims court allows for litigation, this might be your best option. No attorneys are allowed and you represent yourself with documentation, photos, contracts and other “evidence.”.

What happens if you hold a judgment against a company?

If you hold a judgment against a company, you may be able to get the sheriff to seize the money in the company's cash register. Businesses may also have machinery, equipment, or other assets that are available to seize. For your safety, and to avoid further litigation, only law enforcement or other authorized persons should seize property.

What happens after a judgment?

After a Judgment: Collecting Money. When you "win" a civil case in court, the jury or judge may award you money damages. In some situations the losing party against whom there is a judgment (also known as a debtor), either refuses to follow the court order or cannot afford to pay the amount of the judgment. If this happens, you may be required ...

How much can you garnish if you have a judgment against someone?

Many states limit the amount you can garnish from a debtor's wages to 25 percent of the debtor's paycheck. To garnish wages, you generally must schedule a hearing with the court and prove that the debtor owes you money ...

Why do people refuse to pay judgments?

They do so because they want to avoid unpleasant "collection" activities and further costs. 2. If an individual or business debtor stubbornly refuses to pay a judgment or is insolvent (meaning business or person’s debts are greater than its assets), you may find it quite difficult to collect a judgment. 3.

How long can you keep a judgment?

The time period for collecting judgments in many states is ten years, but after that expires you can usually renew the judgment for another ten years. So, even if the person or business that you have a judgment against does not have any income or assets today, income or assets may be accessible in the future. 8.

Can you collect judgments in Chapter 7?

Unfortunately, if the person against whom you have the judgment files a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, your ability to collect is cut-off, like most other creditors. 9. In most states, you will need to retain an attorney to assist you with your collection efforts.

Can a debtor pay a judgment?

In some situations the losing party against whom there is a judgment (also known as a debtor), either refuses to follow the court order or cannot afford to pay the amount of the judgment. If this happens, you may be required to take additional steps and incur further expenses to collect the judgment. Here are ten things to keep in mind ...

What to do if you have a case worth more than your state's small claims limit?

If you have a case worth more than your state’s small claims limit, or you feel as though a legal expert may help in the matter, hiring an attorney is an option as well. Attorneys with experience in the construction industry will know how to find weaknesses in a contract, as well as how the work performed or left incomplete violates a contract. The attorney can help you determine what you may be owed, and the best possible route for pursuing the contractor or business.

What is a small claims court?

Small claims court is a legal venue for homeowners who feel they are owed money back from a contractor. In small claims court, individuals bring small monetary claims against other individuals or companies, typically with damages of no more than $10,000. However, the amount you can claim depends on the limits of your state. During a small claims court case, you present your claim against the contractor for faulty work, a failure to meet contractual obligations or other issues that you feel left you with a loss.

Can a contractor sue you for a bad review?

Contractors have the ability to sue you for false statements or libel if you post a review that isn’t honest. One or more of these remedies can help you get your money back from a bad contractor, or prevent the contractor from performing ...

How to recover money dues?

The lender may opt for out of court settlement for recovering the money dues through arbitration, conciliation or Lok Adalat. It is one of the economical and fastest ways for recovering. For out of court settlement both the parties should be willing and has to appear for the hearing. The arbitrators generally hear from both the parties and the award will be given. Once the award pronounces they cannot appeal, unless if the award is invalid or the person cannot repay within the specified time.

What to do if you don't repay a loan?

Inspite of all this, if the person is not repaying the money, then the lender has to send a letter or a legal notice stating the date of the loan, the exact amount borrowed and also the repayment terms. The letter should be certified and should demand a response. If none of the above steps works out, then he has to consult a lawyer ...

What happens if a person fails to pay a loan?

If the person fails, the lender can further file a criminal Suit against him. If the court finds him guilty, the person will be imprisoned for two years and also has to pay double the amount of the cheque issued.

How long does it take to repay a cheque?

For instance, the person returned the money through cheque to the lender and later if he found it has bounced, the lender can file a suit under Sec 138 of NI Act and the person has to repay within 30 days. If the person fails, the lender can further file a criminal Suit against him.

What is the scariest thing about lending money?

The Scariest thing about lending money to people is the fear of them not returning your money back. Generally, the lender has to issue a gentle reminder about the repayment of the loan. The lender may also suggest certain money returning plan, for instance, a monthly EMI plan or a quarterly plan to the person. ...

Can a lender file a civil suit?

The lender can file a civil suit for recovering the money he owed through promissory note or loan agreement. He can do so under Order 37 of CPC which allows the lender to file a summary suit. He can file this suit in any high court, City Civil Court, Magistrate Court, Small Causes Court.

Can a lender lend money after signing a promissory note?

The lender should lend the money only after signing the promissory note or the loan agreement which has the terms and conditions stated clearly. In case of default in the payment of money, the lender can approach the court and file a civil suit for recovery of money or a criminal suit for fraud/ breach of an agreement.

What does it mean to win a lawsuit?

In a lawsuit, “winning” means getting a judgment — a piece of paper from the court stating you are entitled to money. Often, someone who loses a case will voluntarily pay the judgment and you get your money. But what happens when the person you have a judgment against refuses to pay?

What happens when you win a small claims court case?

When you win in small claims court and the court orders a judgment against the defendant, you become the judgment creditor and the person who owes you money is the judgment debtor. As the judgment creditor, you have a right to know what assets the judgment debtor has. Many courts automatically ask the judgment creditor to fill out ...

What is a judgment proof?

The court awards your judgment, but enforcing the judgment is up to you. Most lawyers consider a defendant “judgment proof” if the defendant has no assets or wages. If you have a judgment-proof defendant, it makes little difference whether the legal case is solid. You can’t recover money that doesn’t exist.

What happens if you win a judgment?

If you won and asked the court to award you money, the judgment will say exactly how much money you are due from the defendant. Once you have the judgment, make a list of assets the defendant can use to pay your judgment. Those assets might be in the form of money in bank accounts, real estate, or personal property.

What is a small claims court judgment?

All those methods begin with one very important document: the judgment. A small claims court judgment is a short court order — two pages at most — that says who won a lawsuit. A California judgment, for example, is a fill-in-the-blank document prepared by the court clerk. If you won and asked the court to award you money, ...

Can you use future wages to pay a judgment?

By using the defendant’s future wages to pay your current judgment, it puts less strain on the defendant and gets your money relatively quickly. Note that in some states, a small claims judgment can also order the losing party to pay a judgment on a payment plan.

Can you foreclose on a judgment?

As the judgment creditor, you can also foreclose upon that real estate lien, but this may require another court action, depending on your state. Judgment liens can also be obtained against personal property, though the method of doing this varies by state and type of property.

How much can you sue in small claims court?

Every state has its own small claims court system, and the limits are different for each — for example, in Alaska, you can sue in small claims for up to $10,000, while Arkansas has a $5,000 limit. You’ll have to do a little research to find out the limit in your state, and whether small claims court is an option for your dispute.

What happens if you reverse a chargeback?

If they do reverse the charge in your favor, it can affect the merchant on the other end financially — they may need to pay administrative fees to the credit issuer, and businesses that accrue multiple chargebacks may have their bank accounts closed because of it.

What is chargeback in business?

A chargeback is a serious process, and you should only request one if you have a legitimate dispute with a business and the business refuses to help you resolve it on their own.

What is it called when you use a credit card to get a refund?

This is called a chargeback.

What is small claims?

Small claims tries to make the complex court system a little more streamlined. You can typically file using simple forms that are often available online (though you’ll likely need to visit a courthouse to actually file them). There are fees involved, but they tend to be low.

Is arbitration faster than a lawsuit?

Arbitration is a bit like the court system, but stripped down. It’s often faster, less expensive, and less complex than a lawsuit, which is why many companies favor it. It’s still a common and legitimate way for consumers to seek justice when they’ve been wronged by any company, big or small.

Can I sue a company in civil court?

If your claim against a company is larger than the limits your state has set on small claims court, you might consider suing them in regular civil court, but for this, you should definitely consult a lawyer first. Civil court cases can be long, drawn out, expensive, and complicated.

John S. Fason

Yes, you can get your money back. I agree with the two previous answers by other lawyers. In addition, you can file a grievance with the state bar. You can also file in small claims court. Not only was the lawyer obligated to provide the services as agreed, there is also an obligation to return phone calls...

Stewart Andrew Sutton

Whenever a lawyer fails to perform the legal services that you paid him to render, you are entitled to full refund of your retainer. Your lawyer breached his contractual obigation to diigently and competently render legal services.

Cynthia Russell Henley

Send the lawyer a certified letter outlining the agreement, the efforts to contact the office (noting no return contact), the promise to file within 2 weeks, and that based on the failure to do the work as promised and the ethical violation of no communication, you no longer want the lawyer to work on the case and you expect a full refund (or you will seek the assistance of the State Bar of Texas.) Give the....