Patricia Joan Chvatal

Hired for divorce and custody. She didn’t cross examine and failed to present evidence the clearly showed the other party was lying! She failed to present evidence including tapes of the threats and intimidation made by other party. She tried to extort money from me to return my photos! She failed to... appear for the hearing and sent out nasty letters saying we didn’t show up; the court records stated she was in another court. She sent the bills to collection and they responded that she did her job so poorly she shouldn’t be paid. And I still don’t have the pictures of my son because I refused to pay her for them! I took the pictures and gave them to her for my case but she didn’t use them! And here now 30 years later I still don’t have them! She avoided legal filings that caused more litigation fees and hearings.

Doesn't have an office staff to take calls. Doesn't keep appointments. Walks out of Mediation appointments. Will not sign nor respond to paperwork - Stalls. Obnoxious. Extremly Angry and Rude. Evil demranor. Steals your hard earned money. I do not know why the Mediators or Judges and Commissioners ...put up with her bahavior in Court.

My ex fought me all the way, went through medication, when it came to the final hearing she told me I didn't need to go. Then I get the final papers and half of what was agreed on was not in the papers. I filed bankruptcy to the tune of almost $30,000. This lawyer screwed up - BAD! Still fighting... issues 15 years later.

I had no knowledge of divorce proceedings and what to expect. Even though I was against getting a divorce, my divorce was non combative and non confrontational. However, I was set up with the worst parenting plan, and divorce decree imaginable. Of course I didn't find out until it was too late. Fo...r example, I was literally advised against 50%-50% shared custody that my X and I agreed to. Instead, Pat Chvatal set me up with 50%-50% shared visitation, and told me it was the same thing. Unfortunately, I believed her since I was paying her to advise me. In addition, to the parenting plan, medical premium credits in the child support worksheet were not given. For as easy as my divorce was there should never have been such poor service. Her services ended up costing me more than it should have (thousands $$- years down the road), and less time with my children. My advice is to trust yourself, and not your attorney. Your attorney does not know what is best for your children. If you love your children get 50/50 shared custody, and not 50/50 visitation or even joint custody (there is a difference). Be active in your children's lives, go to parent teach conferences, school events, med,dent, and optical appointments, sports events, dinner events, vacations etc., and document everything you do in a journal. 50/50 shared custody is the best and healthiest custody agreement for children as well as dealing with the X. There is tons of documentation supporting this.