Expert Advice When You Need It Most

California attorney ethics and professional responsibility, attorney's failure to communicate

What does this mean:

10/24/2008 Order (GRANTING DEFT'S MOTIONS TO COMPEL PLFF TO ANSWER INTERROGATORIES AND INSPECTION DEMANDS AND FOR MONETARY SANCTIONS )
Filed by Attorney for Deft/Respnt

The attorney I hired a year ago about this Employer Sexual harassment does not return my calls, email, text or anything anymore and the case is in court (I will provide case number if needed) What do I do now?? I think it is a good case, He took it and others lawyers wanted it but I picked my current lawyer instead. what do I do now!!

Here is the Case:

My wife was costantly asked by on of
her bosses to go out with him. She
refused and he kept at it. He would
tell the rest of the employees that he
will eventually take her out some
day. My wife complained and asked
not to be put alone with him on the
night shift. She asked to change her
schedule. Other people at work
complain about her. Today she quit
because her bosses would not do
anything about it and was stressed
at work. She worked at this job since
1999 and this happend about 2
weeks after the new owners took
over the buisness. The molester was
a manager that was put in by the
new owners. My wife says she was
push out because she complained
about this guy. She has lots of
witness to his actions and to what he
said. What kind of legal action can
we pursue. My wife was making a
good living there and wanted to
move up in the company. The former
owners thought highly of my wife.
She is scared to do anything but she
says that she thinks she has a case.

That employer also used their lawyer to write a letter telling my wife to quit. after they refused to do anything about her complaint.

Save

Attorney answers (4)

Reputation Level 13
Ouch. Your lawyer failed to communicate that he was spanked by the Court by way of monetary fines. I echo everyone else's opinion above.
5 people marked this answer as good
Carolyn Annette Elsey
Carolyn Annette Elsey, licensed in Washington

Reputation Level 15
The minute order you have presented means that you failed to respond to an interrogatory or set of interrogatories, and the opposing lawyer filed a motion to force you to answer the questions. The motion was granted, you were ordered to answer the questions, and to pay a monetary penalty (sanctions) to the other party or someone else.

I strongly recommend that you hire a new lawyer, or at least ask one for advice on how to deal with your present lawyer's neglect.
4 people marked this answer as good
Kenneth Lewis Swenson
Kenneth Lewis Swenson, licensed in California

Reputation Level 19
If your attorney still represents you and will not communicate with you after you have tried to contact him, it may mean:

1. You need to seek other legal counsel in California;

2. Contact the California State Bar and file a complaint.
11 people marked this answer as good

Avvo Pro

Reputation Level 20
The order means that the defendant has complained to the court that you did not answer interrogatories or produce documents as requested. The court has now ordered that you do so and pay monetary sanctions for your failure to do so in the first place. This sounds like a breakdown in communications between you and your lawyer; fire the one you've got and get a replacement.
4 people marked this answer as good
Kenneth Lewis Swenson
Kenneth Lewis Swenson, licensed in California

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask a Lawyer

Get free answers from experienced attorneys.

 
Ask now