Legal Question in Family Law in Massachusetts
Inadequate representation executed custody agreement
my attorney negotiated child custody schedule with opposing counsel. i agreed to all terms of agreement if I could have every other monday for the entire year. i inadvertently signed agreement after my lawyer reviewed. i quickly read after my attorney reviewed and later detected it erroneously referenced every other monday for summer months only. the discrepancy was put before the judge and she ruled against me. any legal remedy for inadequate legal counsel? my attorney's performance in court alarmed me. we was suffering from anxiety. did not counter attacks directed to me, shuffled papers, referred to me by the plaintiff's name. I had everything on the line - the time I now see my child is significantly reduced.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Inadequate representation executed custody agreement
What you are talking about is a malpractice action where you get another attorney to review your complaints about the first attorney's adequacy, and then decide the likelihood of success in filing an action for negligence or some other form of legal malpractice. This action can be (1) contingency or (2) paid by the hour. You have not provided enough information to determine whether such an action is worth pursuing. Such an action should be taken with caution, and you should really have an attorney review the documents in the case, and discuss your complaints. You may contact me or another counsel to this end.