Incorrect Will

[downstlouis10]

What is the name of your state? Missouri. My parents had their wills drawn up by this attorney. He didn't complete the paperwork for the properties to go to trust. But, my parents didn't sign wills nor have notorized. The thought they were finished when they had the attorney draw up the wills!!? Well, Dad passed 3.5 yrs ago. Mom talked to attorney and signed affidavit that she was the surviving spouse for the 2 properties. I took Mom to the attorney abt wills. He says they aren't legal since parents didn't sign them. He said he would redo one for Mom, as a single person, for free. Parents had already paid $750. When he finished the new living trust, I drove 2 hours (one way) for her to sign and notorize at his office, so it would be FINISHED. Well, after the signing, I took the will home and read it; there were errors on 95% of the pages, which I pit post it tags on each page, originally not thinking their would be that many errors. All he did was remove Dad's name from paperwork. One part read, If I predecease myself... I called him 5 times...finally he called back and rudely said he would redo it. So, here me and Mom go again, and once again, he messed the will up. Then he wouldn't return my calls NOR Mom's. I finally got on the internet and got everything set up in a Living Trust and got the properties transfered to the trust and got the info the way Mom wanted it in the first place (and Dad). I had the bank transfer to a living trust.
What recourse do we have with this attorney? Can I get Mom's $$ back. I have POA and have already got her abt $2000. back from her bank and my sibling using ATM as personal acct. Unbelievable!!
Not the way I would necessarily want to learn abt this stuff. It got irritating for Mom and me.What is the name of your state?

 

[Dandy Don]

Sloppy work does not qualify as malpractice.

Did your mother sign a fee agreement/retainer agreement with him?

He is obviously not going to refund anything. You would be better off filing a complaint with the Missouri State Bar to embarrass him and so that this complaint will be on record and any future client who considers using him might be turned off if the client is smart enough to check the lawyer database first.

 

[downstlouis10]

will

It is a sad time when a supposed professional would take advantage of an eldrly woman. What happened to the elder abuse laws? They don't apply to knee jerk attorneys?
NO she did not sign anything (after my dad passed) like a retainer, etc...
I am difinitely going to turn him, not that I have any hopes there either. Thanks for your input, though!