Friday, November 20, 2009

Messages To My Lawyer For Continuance

I told my attorney, I need a continuance and that he cannot just let me know, the day before the next scheduled hearing, if he's asked for one or not.

I want a continuance and need one, to get an independent psych evaluation before we go before the court, or the state will try to push past new things which are harmful to me and my son.

I am getting nervous that this lawyer wants to leave it and not tell me until the last minute. I can't have that. If he is my lawyer and says the state wouldn't agree to continuance and we are going to court, he'd just swing me up there, and the judge would say I have representation and the state would try to push new things past.

He even told me that he can get increased visitation through simply speaking to the state, without a judge's order.

Getting a continuance is simple. It is a fast phone call and then a small piece of paper. Over here, sometimes the paper isn't even necessary.

My new lawyer, who is from the law office with magazines about twins on display, is Justin Titus. He seems nice.

But I don't know why he thinks waiting until the last minute to inform me about things is good. Also, he asked me, interrogated me about whether I had anyone in my circle who would pay for a psych eval. When I said no he said we'd be stuck with the state one then. I stared at him in shock. I said, "No, that is the point of public funds, for my defense. You use public funds for an independent evaluation and I have a right to one." It's routine, so it worries me he thought he would tell me I had to stick with a hideous state evaluation.

So I have to hear from him.

He said if I put anything in writing or wrote anything down about things that state workers have done, or anyone else, I should give it to him and he'd keep it safe. I feel it's not safe if it's on paper because paper can be stolen and burned or 'lost'. I told him I wouldn't blog about the case, but I haven't heard from him that he's appointed yet and he hasn't sent out word to others, though he said he already talked to the AG. I called the court and they said it went through yesterday but I still haven't heard anything about what's going on.

I talked to someone else and they said I shouldn't be strung along until the last hour and that he probably didn't think I KNEW I was entitled to an independent psych evaluation from public funds.

I am reminded that while I thanked this guy for helping me with the dismissal of my other case, the misdemeanor that I didn't do, I still have to thank the Prosecuting Attorney. It was also his doing, or maybe largely his doing. And I need to thank him, because it was the right thing to do and I'm glad he was willing to think about conscience.

No comments: