Legal Question in Family Law in New York
Replacing a court appointed attorney
I was assigned an 18b attorney in
Brooklyn family court, after I
obtained a temporary restraining
order against my ex-husband on
behalf of my children. In six months,
he has not returned a single phone
call, reviewed any of my paperwork,
or filed a single motion. He shows up
to hearings late and says nothing...
one time he literally had his eyes
shut during a conference. During our
last court appearance he told me my
ex-husband is the father and
therefore has a right to see his
children whenever he pleases (never
mind he is abusive and has
attempted to kidnap them), and
when I expressed my worry he
patted my back and said, ''well you
had a lot of children with this guy, so
there...''
We are scheduled for trial in less than
two weeks, and still not a word from
the guy. At this point I think I am
better off with no representation
than with this attorney railroading
my case. I keep thinking I should not
look a gift horse in the mouth, but
the consequences could be serious. Is
there any way to have the court
replace him? What is the procedure?
And if the court won't replace him,
can I get more time in order to try
and hire someone?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Replacing a court appointed attorney
You get what you pay for. 18b is really pot luck. You could get a young motivated attorney who is looking for 18b work to supplement his practice. Or you could get a jaded, crusty, lawyer who thinks of all his panel clients as "lowlifes" or "trash."
You should know that 18b attorneys only get $75 per hour whereas the going rate for such services is $200-$250 per hour. While that may seem like a lot of money, that lawyer will do a better job and be more motivated b/c he is getting paid market value.
My advice would be to call my office and let's talk about your case. Perhaps myself or a colleague of mine could handle your case for you.
Re: Replacing a court appointed attorney
You get what you pay for. 18b is really pot luck. You could get a young motivated attorney who is looking for 18b work to supplement his practice. Or you could get a jaded, crusty, lawyer who thinks of all his panel clients as "lowlifes" or "trash."
You should know that 18b attorneys only get $75 per hour whereas the going rate for such services is $200-$250 per hour. While that may seem like a lot of money, that lawyer will do a better job and be more motivated b/c he is getting paid market value.
My advice would be to call my office and let's talk about your case. Perhaps myself or a colleague of mine could handle your case for you.
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