So my buddy and I went to speak with an attorney and she completely sucks. Her office was a shithole in the basement and the place looked like a mess and she showed -0- interest in his case. Is it possible to "fire" your attorney and hire your own lawyer or once you get assighned one you are stuck with it? It should be a very easy case to just get dismissed, considering both parties involved just want it dropped and she is making a bigger deal out of it then it should be. TANX

You never went into any detail about the case, what you said to the lawyer, and how she responded... tough to give advice with no information.

public defenders are even worse. i once had this fat ass court appointed lawyer, and he sucked ass. i am talking about this mutherfucker forgot important documents and papers during my trial. best advice i can give you if yo u can't afford a lawyer and you dont want those lazy fat ass Public defenders, represent yourself. i did it few times and beat alot of charges acting as my own lawyer. the judge was even impressed onetime when i beat this stupid fraud charge.

native. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So my buddy and I went to speak with an attorney
> and she completely sucks. Her office was a
> shithole in the basement and the place looked like
> a mess and she showed -0- interest in his case. Is
> it possible to "fire" your attorney and hire your
> own lawyer or once you get assighned one you are
> stuck with it? It should be a very easy case to
> just get dismissed, considering both parties
> involved just want it dropped and she is making a
> bigger deal out of it then it should be. TANX

I assume you have a public defender assigned to your case. While some top tier law firms offer attorneys as public defenders on a pro bono basis, most public defenders aren't very good and just do the least amount of work possible for the measly stipend they get from the court. If you have the means, I would fire the public defender and get your own attorney. But, we don't know what your case is. If it is a simple case, as you claim, you should still expect to pay between $2,000 and $10,000 for a good attorney.

WashingToneLocian Wrote:> I assume you have a public defender assigned to
> your case. While some top tier law firms offer
> attorneys as public defenders on a pro bono basis,
> most public defenders aren't very good and just do
> the least amount of work possible for the measly
> stipend they get from the court. If you have the
> means, I would fire the public defender and get
> your own attorney. But, we don't know what your
> case is. If it is a simple case, as you claim, you
> should still expect to pay between $2,000 and
> $10,000 for a good attorney.


Ok, good. We just wanted to know if you CAN fire your court appointed attorney and hire your own lawyer. He decided to go with the state attorney as we figured it should be an easy case and it was not worth spending money over but she is just lazy and slow. I have created a different thread "weird situation" explaining the situation if you wish to read it. I believe he has the money saved up that he can use for a good lawyer but the only reasson why he qualified for a state appointed one is because he just recently lost his job over this.

Honestly I think he would be better off representing himself. She is just a mess.

native. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Honestly I think he would be better off
> representing himself.


Truer words have never been spoken. Far too many people in trouble with the law use this website as a vehicle to air their "friends" problems.

To be honest, native, most of your inane posts are completely aggravating and plain pointless.

observer Wrote:
Far too many
> people in trouble with the law use this website as
> a vehicle to air their "friends" problems.


Oh believe me I have no shame. If it was me that was in trouble and needed advice I would just say so and this happens to be not the case. Unlike SOME I dont use 12 different screen names to post my real opinion.

Have fun representing yourself buddy. Judges don't like that shit...it shows lack of respect for the court. They may even be harsher with you. And to point out the obvious...this is NOT where you go for legal advice.

Don't "lawyer" and "crappy lawyer" mean the same thing??

Inkahootz, mofo, deathbygun, lurker, Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Have fun representing yourself buddy. Judges
> don't like that shit...it shows lack of respect
> for the court. They may even be harsher with you.
> And to point out the obvious...this is NOT where
> you go for legal advice.


Its not lack of respect, its that you don't know the law and your opposing attorney who does know the law is going to run roughshod all over you.

not crappy lawyers?? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't "lawyer" and "crappy lawyer" mean the same
> thing??


No, but "lawyer" and "crooked lawyer" do!

If your friend has a crappy court appointed attorney for a General District Court Case, have him contact Court Services with the General District Court. If he calls the main court house # and ask for the # to court services, they will transfer him. They are in charge of the court appointed atty list. they ALWAYS want to know if a court appointed atty is not being responsive to clients. Even if the person is not returning their phone calls, they want to know right away. and they will do something about it. They may appoint him another atty and they may even take her off the list. That atty does get paid for his case. Court appointed attorneys are not public defenders and are attorneys in private practice.

But if he's having trouble with a Fairfax Co public defender, thats a whole different story. Court Services has nothing to do with the Public Defenders Office. I think the Public Defenders Officer gets so many compaints about their attorneys that they don't really care.