3greatkids
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio
Need advice on problems with my lawyer. I hired a lawyer for my divorce, paid the $3000 retainer, and over the next year paid an additional $2500. When the final hearing came, the divorce was granted.
I come to find out later, that my lawyer had made a huge mistake in the "precise wording" for the visitation of the minor children. The kids were to have full discretion for visitation. If they wanted to go they could, but could say no to overnights. Well My lawyer only put "full discretion" in the first sentence regarding weekends, not in each paragraph regarding holidays and summer. When I pointed this out to him before I signed the papers, he said it only had to be in the first sentence, that it carried over to all visitation. Niave (sp) as I was at the time, I believed him.
When the ex went into one of his tyrades and the kids didnt want to stay with him overnight, I found out that "kids discretion" needed to be put into every single sentence. The judge said the visitation stands as it is and she will not change it. My ex is using this mistake to his advantage, to control and dictate to me when he will see the children.
My lawyer said since it was his mistake, he would fix it. He has been unable to. He also said since it was his mistake, he would not charge me for having to go back to court for the contempt filings my ex had filed. The contempts were dismissed and I was not found guilty, but have been ordered to force the kids to go with their father for extended periods of time. The relationship between them is strained as it is due to ex's violent anger issues.
And to top it all off, I get a bill for $2300 from the lawyer who said he would not charge me for his mistake. Not once did he ask for money over the last year.
Do I have any recourse since it was my lawyers mistake?
Would getting another lawyer altogether help me?
Need advice on problems with my lawyer. I hired a lawyer for my divorce, paid the $3000 retainer, and over the next year paid an additional $2500. When the final hearing came, the divorce was granted.
I come to find out later, that my lawyer had made a huge mistake in the "precise wording" for the visitation of the minor children. The kids were to have full discretion for visitation. If they wanted to go they could, but could say no to overnights. Well My lawyer only put "full discretion" in the first sentence regarding weekends, not in each paragraph regarding holidays and summer. When I pointed this out to him before I signed the papers, he said it only had to be in the first sentence, that it carried over to all visitation. Niave (sp) as I was at the time, I believed him.
When the ex went into one of his tyrades and the kids didnt want to stay with him overnight, I found out that "kids discretion" needed to be put into every single sentence. The judge said the visitation stands as it is and she will not change it. My ex is using this mistake to his advantage, to control and dictate to me when he will see the children.
My lawyer said since it was his mistake, he would fix it. He has been unable to. He also said since it was his mistake, he would not charge me for having to go back to court for the contempt filings my ex had filed. The contempts were dismissed and I was not found guilty, but have been ordered to force the kids to go with their father for extended periods of time. The relationship between them is strained as it is due to ex's violent anger issues.
And to top it all off, I get a bill for $2300 from the lawyer who said he would not charge me for his mistake. Not once did he ask for money over the last year.
Do I have any recourse since it was my lawyers mistake?
Would getting another lawyer altogether help me?