2talltim Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 to make a long story short..When my wife could not find a job after she graduated we decided chapter 7 was they way we had to go. Well it is now 11 months after we filed and just now recived our discharge due to our lawyer dragging her feet, and it only got discharged because i took matters in to my own hands. She never remembered our appointments, she did not handle our reafirmations properly, and things were always filed late. Our case was dismissed once w/o discharge due to her stupidity, but she did pay to have it reopened. Ours was a simple chapter 7 with no payments to creditors, we gave up nothing, and we were reafirming our house and car. She would almost never return calls or emails, and when i did get ahold of her she would just say "i'm working on it, it's not my fault". And if any of you dont know bankruptcy lawyers get paid up front and have full control over your case. My question is, is there a way to file a complaint about her, or do a letter in the local paper to warn others about her WITHOUT GETTING SUED BY HER. I want to make her as miserable as she has us over the last 11 months. I have spoke to other clients of hers that say she handled their case wrong too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted August 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 (edited) The last time i heard from her was 5/24 and i have sent maybe 15 emails and 30 voicmails since and i even stopped by her house/office one time with her car in the drive way and noone answered the door. Only way ive stayed on top of my case was through pacer.gov and i contacted the court rep directly and worked with my loan people to fix all my reaffirmations Edited August 7, 2011 by 2talltim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeefZah Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 I would take a few steps here: First, file a small claims case through municipal court to recoup your payments to her. This is easy to do on your own, relatively inexpensive.Then, contact the bar association and file a complaint.Then, contact the Ohio Supreme Court and file a complaint.You could also file a complaint with the BBB, but that would probably be the least effective option.I'd hold off on any letter writing; and even if you did crank out some letters, I'd be really, really surprised if any get published. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sniper_308 Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 This site might help you. http://www.ohiobar.org/Pages/PublicSite.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted August 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 Sounds like the bar only covers ethical complaints, I believe my complaints are more around the bad business category. A law suit against her would be ideal but honestly for the $850 I paid her it would not be worth my time and extended misery. And the BBB would be the way to go but like you said it would be like pissin into the wind. So sounds like ill just lick my wounds and get on with life, and just get the word of mouth out that Carrol G. Stebbins in mount vernon is a terrible lawyer. On a side note she didn't make much off of me, of $850 I paid her, $100 of that was for the credit counseling course, it cost her $300 to reopen our case in May, and she had to pay $100 tow to get pulled out of our drive way this last winter because he forgot about a appointment and wasn't ready the day before when we went to her. And im sure there were extra expenses she had to pay for being late all the time and making extra trips. Hell, she was 5 min. Late to court the day of our hearing. So I guess there is some karma there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted August 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 Oh Yea...Thanks for your replies guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wicked1 Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 You are asking to get boned. Don't pick a fight with a lawyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbot Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 freeze her in a cryogenic chamber for 11 months. no bathroom breaks, brah.i would contact another, more vicious attorney that handles malpractice and get a consult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted August 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 You are asking to get boned. Don't pick a fight with a lawyer.That is one of the fears I have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 Sounds like the bar only covers ethical complaints, I believe my complaints are more around the bad business category. A law suit against her would be ideal but honestly for the $850 I paid her it would not be worth my time and extended misery. 1) A lack of communication is an ethical violation. "Communication" is one of the explicitly named duties of a practicing attorney.Contact the Ohio Bar Association and lodge a complaint. If others have, or do in the future, the record of complaints will not bode well for the attorney.2) You don't want to sue an attorney unless it is a malpractice suit. Even then, the attorney can handled a lot of things on their own for cheap/free, while you pay $200/hour. Who is really "winning" there?3) Publishing any kind of ad or letter is probably a bad idea. It makes you look childish and spiteful, and if things do get to litigation, that will make you look like an ass instead of a victim. Truth is an absolute defense to defamation/slander, so if you insist on publishing something, make sure it is 100% accurate, AND you can prove it.Not to defend the attorney, but they're busy people - while you and your wife were calling 15 times and sending 30 emails, the attorney probably had 50 cases just like yours, with 50 other people calling and emailing. If there was no movement to report, I'm not surprised there was no communication.And as you pointed out, the attorney didn't make much money off you; so do you find it that shocking that you weren't the top priority? Lodge a complaint w/ the Ohio Bar Association, and call it a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted August 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 And as you pointed out, the attorney didn't make much money off you; so do you find it that shocking that you weren't the top priority? Lodge a complaint w/ the Ohio Bar Association, and call it a day.Thanks for the perspective...this is probobly my best option if any Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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