#law
I was stunned when a friend told me she was advised by a legal referral service in Texas that she could not represent herself in a civil action regarding family law issues.
Granted, people are better represented by counsel (in general) but telling people who cannot afford to hire an attorney that they can't even FILE a case without one is horrific.
I'm no longer in practice. I can't give advice. Nonetheless, I went on 6th Amendment rant.
@J_Windrow During the banking kerfluffle 10 years ago, a bank bought bad paper and claimed they owned my house. I was poor (back in college again) and it cost me 11 grand to get my own house back. The only reason I succeeded in the bankruptcy is that I fired the lawyer I had because every year he was charging me more than I was paying per year and the bankruptcy kept extending. Our system is insane.
@TrueBloodNet I did a lot of pro-bono work during that time. But I did worked for people who paid me. Lawyers have to live too.
I'm happy you were able to do what you needed to do to prevail.
@TrueBloodNet I got a lot of referrals from others who didn't want an unwindable case. The legal process should not be around revenge.
That said, in terms of the horrific processes you got caught up in, I litigated in federal court for colleagues who were not in Federal Court and routinely whacked large firms over the head because I was better prepared.
There are many good lawyers, but there are also ones who I considered legally unethical. If that makes sense.
@J_Windrow Totally. Before the house debacle, I only had had good experiences w lawyers for mortgage deals, Inc. & everyday type stuff. But the bankruptcy business is a scam in many ways. Another lawyer said he was shocked I managed to finish the bankruptcy after looking at it cuz so few manage to do so. I mean, that's not good in and of itself. LOL
I can only imagine how frustrating it is that you can't clean up your fellows. I know as a scientist a bad scientist is infuriating.
@TrueBloodNet Without getting into details I was so unhappy with one bar member that I worked with a bar prosecutor about what I believed was going on. It took years.
Unfortunately, that individual was not disbarred. They were, however, publicly disciplined, had to disgorge huge amounts of money, and far more. They were ruined in their chosen field, which is (I suppose) something.
My father was an attorney and a judge who considered law a profession and not a graft career. I concurred.
@J_Windrow That's sounds like sweet meade to me! congrats!
@J_Windrow I get that. But this guy was saying he had to do all this paperwork every year and after I fired him, I did none of it and things went fine. Obviously, some lawyers take advantage. (not all)