r/Ask_Lawyers

Assuming the person intended to stop at some point and it can be proven.

What are the biggest red flags that tell you another lawyer is doing a poor job representing their client (without discussing any specific case)?

Quick facts - 0.16 BAC, PA, state police showed up with body cam, the cop said I was polite and cooperated, I hit another guy head on, he went to the hospital to get checked out but only had bruises and no real injury, the states still charging me with misdimeanor DUI with bodily injury.

Half the people I talk to tell me to hire a lawyer and the other half say I don't need to.

The lawyer I called said it would be $15k and he'd be trying to get the charges dropped. Is $15k high and is it even possible to get the charges dropped completely when I hit another person?

Hi, I want to know if this is normal. Back in February my lawyer drafted a motion for temporary relief and charged me for it but never submitted the motion. She is now saying I need to pay 1k a month to continue working for her and I keep telling her to submit the motion but she keeps brushing it off or ignoring me. Is this normal?

For the past two years I’ve disputed my employers net profit calculation, consistently and in writing. Their miscalculation has been used to keep me from a portion of my earnings.

I’ve brought this to our CFO and GM. The calculation used to show NP is clearly stated in my contract. It has been used correctly to calculate earnings for hundreds of employees during my time with the corporation. For me the calculations has been adjusted in an effort to reduce payroll.

I’ve compiled stacks of hard proof. I believe this to be obvious intentional, knowingly withholding earnings. For the corporation to deny a claim would be beyond reason. We have a clearly spelled out, signed agreement. The terms have been well defined and double checked in writing by agents of the company.

The company has a sole proprietor who has chosen to sell to private equity for a considerable sum. This sale will be announced to the entire company on Tuesday. I believe the sale has yet to be completed. I believe a deep dive into financials has been completed over the past three months or longer.

My revenue produced often accounts for half of the department’s gross. I do not believe there is a possibility the numbers provided to the buyer, under due diligence, could match the falsified numbers that have been used to calculate my earnings.

I’m concerned this liability will be transferred to the pending future owners, at which time leverage will be lost.

My question is, how do I find representation today, in the state a Virginia, that will move expeditiously.

I’ve been with the corporation for >5 years. I came in as and have remained the top revenue producer.

Make no mistake, this company is wildly profitable. Earnings withheld from me in two years exceed what a typical professional may hope to earn in a year.

All statements above are my opinion.

I am in Maryland and a stranger filed phone harassment charge against me as a retaliation (i saved all the evidence of them threatening to end my career) after doxxing me.

They even contacted my workplace, so my job is not stable. I dont have any money saved, and I barely make enough to be above the threshold for PD. What options do I have? Ive been writing emails to local attorneys if they could reduce their rates or consider pro bono...

Thank you.

In your experience, do judges notice errors like filing as the wrong party’s lawyer, incorrect dates that haven’t occurred, and citing cases out of jurisdiction?

So, I recently got a summons for jury duty in the mail. It's a bit annoying the courthouse is about 2 hours away, but I got a hotel room to be closer. Planning to come to court with proper attire, conservative business casual. I consider myself a logical person, and I like to hear both sides of a debate.

Here's my question: I'm currently studying to take the LSAT, hoping to test in November, which will give me a little time if I decide to retake. If you hear that, do you still want me on the jury? I've heard conflicting things, so I'm not sure what to think.

EDIT: just to clarify, I'm not saying wanting to become a lawyer is the same as actually having gone to law school. I'm also not implying that I'm any smarter than anyone else on the jury, or even a good jury candidate. I just want to know if during voir dire, if that comes up, does it generally make attorneys more likely to keep someone on a jury, more likely to strike them, or does it usually not matter much?

Attorney Case Summary – Request for Representation

I am seeking legal representation regarding my California juvenile dependency case involving my two sons. I am looking for an attorney willing to conduct an independent review of the court record, Child Welfare Services records, medical records, and related documentation to determine whether legal errors, due process violations, professional misconduct, or other actionable issues occurred during my case.

Why I Believe My Case Warrants Review

Throughout this case, I have identified numerous issues that I believe deserve careful investigation, including:

• Multiple factual inconsistencies and contradictions between Agency reports.
• Medical concerns involving my son that were repeatedly investigated, yet I have been unable to locate clear final findings or conclusions within the records I have received.
• Concerns regarding psychotropic medication documentation, informed consent, and the completeness of the medical record.
• Important evidence that I believe was overlooked, minimized, or omitted from reports submitted to the court.
• Concerns that significant allegations were repeated while contradictory evidence received little or no analysis.
• Frequent turnover of appointed counsel, resulting in a lack of continuity and repeated need to educate new attorneys about the history of the case.
• Repeated attempts on my part to raise concerns that I believe were not adequately investigated or presented to the court.

Documentation Available

I have assembled substantial documentation, including:

• Juvenile court reports and addendum reports.
• Medical records.
• Laboratory reports.
• Court orders.
• Email communications.
• Agency correspondence.
• Chronological timelines.
• Evidence matrices identifying inconsistencies and missing documentation.
• Records relating to the children's placements and services.

The records span the duration of the dependency proceedings and allow for comparison of statements made over time.

What I Am Requesting just a review non binding -

I am seeking an attorney willing to conduct an independent review of the evidence to determine whether there are grounds for:

• Post-judgment relief or appellate remedies, if available.
• Civil rights or due process claims, where supported by the evidence.
• Professional misconduct complaints against individuals involved in the case, if warranted.
• Investigation into failures to follow required dependency procedures or documentation requirements.
• Any other legal remedies supported by the facts and applicable law.

I am not asking an attorney to accept my conclusions without question. I am asking for an objective review of the evidence. If my concerns are unsupported, I want to know that. If the record demonstrates legal error or misconduct, I want experienced counsel to help determine the appropriate course of action.

My goal is accountability, protection of my children's rights, and assurance that the proceedings complied with the law.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I would welcome the opportunity to provide my complete evidence packet and discuss the case further.

Good afternoon

My friend is in inmate in jail awaiting trial. He has been having a hard time reaching his lawyers. I understand as they maybe busy at court or with another client.

Is it legal for me to send a message to his lawyers to tell them that my friend has been trying to reach them? Can I also include messages (nothing illegal) to the lawyer? I’m in Canada.

Thank you

If you have specific requests, is there a way to make sure they're followed without relying on a friend/family member or similar.

Ex: Someone wants to be cremated and to make sure that happens.

Hello!
I have some questions back in October of 2021 I worked at a chain burger restaurant est. I worked in the kitchen as a line cook. I was wiping down a knife and my finger was slit and bleeding non stop for over 20 minutes. I immediately told a manger on duty. We went into the office and we called a nurse hotline for workers injury to report. Nurses said due to the size and the duration of non stop bleeding I needed medical attention and advised i go to hospital ER (it was a weekend after 5pm so no urgent cares/concentras were open). The manager (shift supervisor) on staff then called the head manager of the restaurant and she instructed him on the phone (office speaker so I heard it all) not to let me leave and said that we needed to wait until she gets there. They basically made me wait in the office holding my finger still bleeding with towels about 20 minutes or more while the manager who was not working at all that date drove from her house to the restaurant. Once she arrived she screamed at me and demanded I explained what happened while standing in the doorway of the office blocking the entrance (again still in need of urgent medical care as advised by a nurse) then after making me explain what happened she reprimanded me and told me how it’ll cost the company over $1000 dollars because of me then gave me permission to go to the hospital and then moved from the door way. I then drove myself to the ER and had to get stitches in my finger and was out of work for a week. I was Never compensated for the time I was out of work but was out of work due to a work injury. Is there anything legally that can be done here as the basically held me hostage while I was in need of medical care?
Thanks in advance

Mr. X is a former employee of Company Y. During Mr. X’s employment, there was a work accident (within scope, no gross negligence, etc.) and Mr. Z was seriously injured. Mr. X is now named as a co-defendant along with Company Y in a tort case, despite the fact that there was already a WC payout. (No double dipping in my state, so I’m really not getting why there hasn’t been a summary judgment, but the whole affair is outside my practice area.)

Every lawyer I have spoken with has told me that Company Y’s insurance carrier should provide representation for Mr. X, but the carrier is dragging their feet and the clock is ticking on an answer. What strategies would one employ to get the carrier to sign on to represent Mr. X? Desperately trying to avoid hiring private counsel and then having to sue the carrier to recover the fees paid.

Location: Chandler AZ
I apologize for the lengthy post
I believe my personal injury attorney has put their best interests ahead mine. The back story is I (53M) was involved in a car collision on my way to work on Interstate 10 in Tempe AZ, 10/2/25. It was my day off but my supervisor requested I bring in a piece of equipment. My lawyer didn’t handle Worker’s Comp cases and referred me to another attorney for that part of the case. The lawyer he referred me to told me to file a WC claim then gave me the run around. When I told my personal injury attorney he implied it could be considered double dipping and therefore a waste of time having a workers comp claim as well as an auto insurance claim. So based on that I allowed the WC claim to be denied w/o appealing it within the 60 day time limit. I also ended up missing 3 months of work.

As far as the auto insurance claims the at fault party’s insurance eventually settled for the state minimum liability ($25k) and we’re currently pursuing a UIM claim. The demand letter has been sent for $100k and the insurance has approximately 2 weeks to respond. Also the medical bills come to $70k total. Between the bills and the lawyer fees there will be nothing left.
I’ve not yet sent the following email but I believe it’ll provide enough information to help you answer my questions :
Is this email proper to effectively get across my concerns or too aggressive?
If the lawyers negotiations with the medical providers doesn’t significantly reduce the costs what can I do?

Dear Lawyer,

How and why does a 3rd party collection agency have the authority to attempt to collect on a (non-negotiated full/overpriced)bill that the hospital submitted to my medical insurance? Seems fraudulent to me and that’s concerning. If it is fraud what is to be done about it if anything? Has there been any communication with my medical insurance, the provider, and/or the 3rd party collector? 

I’m not feeling so confident about your ability to negotiate a lower price with these providers vs submitting everything for a claim with my medical insurance. For one I don’t feel my best interests are being looked out for. All the bills from the providers you sent me are ridiculously overpriced. When I mentioned using my insurance I was advised against it and told it would be better to allow y’all to negotiate with the providers. This advice came from your law firm and the providers themselves. Seems to me the only thing better is your financial relationship and future use of these providers. 

The 3 months of lost wages (approximately $16,500) seems to be a lost cause. Yet at least part of those wages could have been recovered through worker”s comp. Which is another area my best interests weren’t looked out for because instead of advising me to file a claim I was lead to believe filing a WC claim would be double dipping and my lost wages would be covered by the UIM claim. Now of course it’s too late to appeal and I’ve lost that opportunity to make an appeal. I think yalll just didn’t want to split the money with another law firm.

 This whole time I’ve been trying to resist this feeling that my legal representation and advisors have placed their interests before mine. However, when I blew up about my care being put on hold by your law firm not approving the procedures recommended I was told it was a miscommunication. So then I finally went in to get the procedure and when I asked about the next procedure I was told the same thing again your law firm wouldn’t approve it. I told y’all explicitly those were not decisions you were to make without consulting with me first. 

I’m really at a loss here because I’ve lost trust. I’m not sure what to do about it but I will do something if I don’t see some interest in regaining that trust.

So yes I was in Salisbury one night. Picked up friends from the bar and was pulled over in my Bright blue Sports car at around midnight I was completely sober and when they pulled me over said I was over the line. I was then pulled out of the car and said if I do the sobriety test I was good to go after. I did the test and passed and they still arrested me they then illegally searched my car, harassed me and took me to the sheriffs office I blew a zero. I was charged with DUI and driving on drugs so far beyond of driving and driving on CDS and reckless driving charge. Everything was Dismissed in court with my lawyer expect driving over the stop sign. I want to Sue for pain and suffering, false arrest, false imprisonment, harassment, and unlawful search and seizures.

I live in ocean city Maryland 25 year old male can anyone recommend a civil lawyer for me on this kind of stuff or if anyone has anything they can share if they have a similar story or problem thanks I really appreciate all of you.

I knew since day one I was beating this case. In total this police department got my BMW impounded. $420, lawyer fee $2,000 and fee for stop sign was $250 and one point.

TDLR: I was wrongfully arrested and imprisoned for a dui was harassed illegal search on vehicle and on top of that the sheriff that arrested me was in a sheriff Mustang car BLASTING NBA YOUNGBOY!

I signed a non compete clause with current salon 10 years ago. Still have not obtained a copy as they would not provide them or let us read them. It apparently states I can’t seek employment within ten miles. I am currently leaving the salon and opening a rental chair salon within the 10 miles. If taken to court I have multiple other employees that will state the same. Another problem would be multiple employees love me and want to leave and join me. They will be sole proprietorship as I am just renting the chairs. Little worried about being taken to court.

ok back in March I was sent 10K via wire I called around about the wire transfer and I was told by at least 3 people I could keep this money and I went IN PERSON to my bank and the banker told me the money probably came from a settlement . I had no idea where the money came from. I called the bank in which was from the senders end and they said they would open an investigation 4 months ago and get back to me. they never did. that’s when I spoke to my banker^^ But I was very poor with a 2 year old, the money is basically gone. bills, my car, groceries, clothes for my son. now fast forward to a week ago. another random 5K comes in via wire. (I have no intention on touching it) Now later I get a call from my bank (they only asked about the 10K not the 5 which is why I’m so confused) saying the person wants me to send 10K back. I do not have the 10K to send back. I used it for bills and my son’s birthday party. (I’m so stupid IK). I make about 800 a week and every cent goes to bills. What is most likely going to happen??? Am I being a part of a money laundering scheme??? help

I’ve hired a lawyer for a sexual assault/rape case and we are going to start off with a demand letter to see if we can settle things privately.

It’s been 3 weeks since I’ve paid the retainer and one week since I sent a follow up. I have yet to hear anything back.

when would it be reasonable to follow up again?

I tried asking this hypothetical question on Google and also AI but they keep giving me contradicting answers.

Would the person that arrests the probable culprit face charges for arresting the other person? And if so would they need to prove probable cause, meaning the reason why they tried to arrest the person?

Would the arrested person have the option to file a civil lawsuit? Would the law be the one filing a criminal case? How would that work?