FIX MY CASE - My Lawyer Messed Up!

Family law is probably the most volatile area of civil law and litigation. Attorney- client relations are often strained by the stressful aspects of a divorce case or a child custody dispute. All too often people getting divorced or involved in domestic relations court find themselves firing one lawyer and hiring another. Unfortunately, not all lawyers are equally trained or equally adept in family court. These days, there are many reports of lawyers missing deadlines, failing to conduct proper investigations or pretrial discovery, turning away opportunities to seize and potentially win the case.

Often, too, clients are so upset with their own personal circumstances that they misunderstand the activities of their lawyers or falsely accuse them of handling their cases inappropriately. Family law is, therefore, a difficult area, and parties as well as their lawyers must work hard to maintain a professional relationship from beginning to end.

If you believe that your case has been sidetracked or derailed by an incompetent lawyer, or if you simply are unable to communicate with your lawyer for personal reasons, it may be time to change lawyers. You should always consider speaking with your lawyer about the circumstances that are weakening your relationship—before you consider hiring a new lawyer.

Sometimes an inattentive attorney can straighten up, get back on track, and re-focus on your case, more quickly than a new attorney can learn the details of your case.

On the other hand, you may be confronted with an attorney who does not understand the nuances of your case, does not return your phone calls or answer your emails and appears to always be on the defensive in court, rather than taking control of the situation. If you truly feel that your case has been delayed or derailed by the inactivity of an attorney, you should seek new counsel as early as possible. Courts do not favor a change in attorneys at the last moment.

You can often find a new attorney through the bar association and through other legal and non-legal associations in your community.