The most work this firm ever did, was in deciding to copy off my file at the last minute, after telling me they couldn't give it to me before the hearing, so they could dump it on me.
They wanted to hold onto my case the whole time and keep me from printing or faxing anything and then wanted to dump it off so they could refuse to allow me access to legal resources.
They refused to withdraw when I asked them to, 2 months ago, when I could still get some things done with someone else, and just held onto it and blocked me from printing or faxing. Then at the very end, when I was sick or having migraine, they suddenly decide to make it look like they'll print things but they refused to give me access to my file prior to the hearing.
So they basically held onto it, kept me from having access to print or fax and make any kind of paper record in the file, and then dump it on me last minute, not wanting me to be able to enter anything into the file.
I asked my lawyer to make a motion for continuance or work around my migraine schedule months ago. There was plenty of notice.
Not ONE piece of paper was ever WRITTEN or FILED on my behalf in this case. They held onto my case for SIX MONTHS and the only paper they EVER composed and filed, was a lengthy argument about their request to withdrawal, full of lies about how I was the one not "cooperating".
That's the only thing they ever wrote. It's the only work they ever did. He told me they couldn't get it out to me until a week after the hearing and then the day before the hearing said it was copied, leaving me not time to look through it.
He also sent me an email calling me "huegenot" (which is a term for a French Protestant) when he knew my name. He'd been working with me and his offices were working with me and referred to me by name when I was there in person. So they knew my name.
He sent an offensive email, right before he or his secretary gave me a manilla envelope with those stamps on it. He made it very clear to me that he and his partners were making a religious issue out of this and that their refusal to help me and my son and their hostilities were based, in part at least, on religious discrimination. I wasn't discriminated against them and didn't even know what their religious affiliation was. After I did know, I wondered if that was why I'd had so many problems, but I was still polite and trying to get things done.
Then the next email I got, after the one from him after the hearing, was from France, and a mockery with the byline "walk in faith" or something and an ad asking for money. I wondered why I was getting mail from France and then thought, who knows, maybe someone is still trying to "get revenge" over my claims about Br. Ansgar, who was popular in France.
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4 comments:
In reading through your blogs, you had the same migrane problem last time. It sounds to me like you are using this "illness" as a stall technique, but it isn't working for you. And by the way, I have had that firm represent members of my family and they did a great job. So I for one, have a lot of respect for them. I think your mental health problems are seriously affecting your case and your ability to see what is truly going on around you. Please get help.
Yes, you're right. I did have the same migraine last month and I wasn't even required to be present or at least I was told it made no difference anyhow.
I have them at the same time every month and I have medical records to prove this. Sometimes I've dragged myself there anyway if they are not too severe but I have even shown up at local courts with migraine, confused, and then having to go to ER for treatment.
There is a well-established history of discrimination against me for migraine disability in this town. First it was claimed I didn't have them and that I was just a drug user wanting drugs. That was after I had 2 neurologists concur I did have migraines. Now, I have a 3rd neurology report concurring I have migraines and yet the legal accomodations which are required to be made have not been made.
I didn't give my lawyer last-minute notice. There is documentation that I specifically requested he change the schedule or calendar so that I am going to court on a different week in the month. He didn't do this and then he didn't file formal papers with the court for continuance. He orally asked, but he didn't file a thing, and asking verbally doesn't mean squat on appeal.
What this does mean, is that I have further grounds for demonstrating discrimination and prejudice on account of disability. I missed another hearing, regarding a clinic in town, because it fell on a migraine date.
These doctors and lawyers have KNOWN all along, what my migraine pattern is and they abused using my medical records to figure out what dates would make it hard for me to appear in court.
Whenever possible, I have tried to go when I can, but many times it has not been possible.
I have not only been slandered as drug seeking because of migraine, but I have also had prejudice of my case because I have missed court when the Judge is unwilling to accomodate.
I'm not surprised. Take Judge Hotchkiss for example. Why should anyone have faith in his judicial manner at all, if he tells someone to be pro se at a major hearing and then hangs up on the only person who could make a defense, the pro se person? He has done such questionable things in court it is not at all surprising he would also discriminate against a disability.
As for Andy Kottkamp, you may have been happy with him or his firm because you knew them personally in some way so he was willing to fight for you. Or maybe he took your case because he saw dollar signs and there was money to be made.
But no, his firm did nothing. You want to tell me they did a good job? Let's have a look at how many emails I sent them and how I was ignored and then look at the fact they didn't even file ONE motion on my behalf in SIX MONTHS time. Not only that, told me to my face they were blocking me and weren't going to help me.
Then, calling me "huegenot" and I don't know..what else? playing mind games with me and trying to block me from even gathering my own records.
I wondered why and the only thing I can think of, is that all of these guys, the whole firm except for Justin maybe, is Catholic and they were doing favors for some other friends that had unresolved hostilities from the past. I can also point to a few other connections they might have.
They didn't care about my son at all. They cared about themselves. My son suffered because of THEM and they are the ones who admitted hostility and religious discrimination against me.
Anyone can look at the record. It has nothing to do with my mental status, at all.
As for Justin, his family is best friends with the main state workers who have lied from the start about this case. Sure! his wife's maid of honor is one of MY CPS workers.
They have SURE been bending over backwards for me and my son!
Finally, no, I do not think they are a reputable firm, in general.
They didn't do even the most preliminary things for my case and as far as I know, their clients have not had good success with their representation.
I know for a fact that this firm does favors for the state workers and I would NOT go with them if you are needing a public defender after what I've seen. I would also question their ethics when I have one guy telling me he's Jewish and then another woman telling me her kids work for the Department of Defense and then they claim later that this isn't true.
In six months they didn't manage to make one request to set up my appointments, with ANYONE to "get services" and the lawyers told me I would have access to resources and then BLOCKED me from this. In SIX months, not one motion was filed, even though I was told, over and over, they were almost done working on something.
This is the same firm with the "Just you and the twins" greeting for me on my first day there, after I had blogged about how my Dad said I wasn't alone.
These lawyers had my MAIL, RETURNED so I couldn't even collect my mail. They also prevented me from getting a job when this was part of establishing my situation.
I don't think they're competent because if they were, they would be making money the honest way, and not doing dirty deals under the table. People who are professional have high standards and don't want their reputations tarnished so they fight for their clients. They don't just bow to other pressures and favors and take money, at risk to their own reputation and integrity.
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