Chrystyna M. Fenchen

Ms. Fenchen was my attorney for my divorce, custody and child support case. I reside out of state and my ex spouse relocated to PA and initiated the case. Over the course of 10 months she repeatedly failed to obtain any favorable results in my case despite assurances my case was "winnable". Motions ...were frivolous, continuances were exhausted, she constantly appeared unprepared and perplexed when opposing counsel began cross examinations or appeared with faulty evidence. After a few hearings it became clear she was not aggressive enough, ill prepared and made assurances when the exact opposite would happen. the ultimate failure came to with child support---a portion of the case that should have been straightforward. After I gathered over 30 pages worth of documentation showing my wages, expenses, etc she appeared to the hearing on my behalf and according to domestics own admission did a terrible job of representing me. She never produced the documentation I sent and it resulted in an order I could not reasonably pay--- by any stretch. I was automatically placed in arrears for over 4 months and my wages were then garnished at 65%, notices were sent that my tax returns and bank accounts had liens against them and my driver's license was in danger of being suspended.....I was forced to survive on $30-40/week for all my expenses and collect food stamps while I begged and pleaded with her to appeal or modify or I was facing jail for "willful non-payment of child support"---despite the fact that everyone, including my exhusband acknowledged in court the order was wrong. I was repeatedly assured she was completing it or it was being done, not to worry. 6 months after the initial cs hearing, I was summoned to a contempt hearing because even tho my wages were being garnished at the maximum legal amount and I was working 3 jobs---I was still being accused of failure to pay cs. WILLFUL non-payment. The day of my hearing she was nowhere to be found, I had two hours to come up with several thousand dollars or convince my ex to drop the arrears or go to jail for 90 days. I ended up having to settle everything pro se. Alone, desperate and at the end of my rope all I got from the court system was that I should have found another attorney, however unfair or incorrect or inane the court proceedings were I was out litigated. I had previously asked she withdraw herself, she never did, saying she could do this I had called her since 6am the day of hearing, having left my home state at 4am to attend it. I gave the opposing party everything they wanted because I couldn't afford 90 days in jail, lose jobs, possibly attend a full blown trial while in custody a week later and top off serve it in a state I don't live and don't have family. I settled for a pittance of visitation with my two toddlers, gave a no fault divorce, forwent all marital assets, retirement, etc and regretfully walked away from my child custody case (if Ms, Fenchen could not be found when she knew I was facing jail for a child support order she failed to properly represent me at I knew I could not afford to have her represent me at the trial). The icing on the cake was when the court staff and the judge herself told me I desperately needed a new attorney. The domestics officer apologized profusely, said she was sorry if she had known the facts 6 months earlier she would have never placed the order as high as she did but she never saw the documentation i had before that day. That there was no reason my case should have turned out this way. Ms. Fenchen was also notably the related to opposing counsel. There was a severe conflict of interest that caused unneeded animosity and made any settlement of my case impossible. Despite her confidence it would not be a problem, working against her ex-spouse became a nightmare for me. After the retainer was paid I was stuck. She was my last chance.