This sounds crazy but I recently hired an attorney for a family law case. I am the guardian to my nephews and niece and the mother had taken us to court on a motion for visitation and won supervised visits on the first Sunday and third Sunday and 5th (of there is one) Sunday of the month for 3 hours. The first is our pick, third is hers and we alternate when there is a fifth. We are to notify the other in email 7 days prior to the visit and confirm within 3 days of the visit via email. Right after the order, I notified the mother that we had 2 coming conflicts for booked vacations and gave dates in which we could reschedule. I also called the court. For the very first visit, the mother did not notify me as to where the visit would be...I still the had the visit. After 4 visits, they filed a Motion for Contempt against me. At that point, I had made every visit except 1 (for my vacation) and made made and met for the rescheduled time. After the contempt motion, I felt I needed an attorney to help us because they were asking legal fees and mentioning reunification which I had never seen mentioned before in any court papers and would not support. I talked to 3 attorneys and picked one because she mentioned having gone through something similar herself.
We had a few meeting and I suspected something was off...she would repeated ask me the same questions, seemed to have a speech issue, and even forget my name or that I was the children's aunt (I do not look like a grandmother).
We had our hearing today and I think she did a poor job. She forgot our names again and misspoke about many facts. Worse, I could smell alcohol on her breath. It all made sense (the slurring, forgetting of facts, odd behavior). The judge took our case "under advisement" so I do not know if we won or lost but I highly suspect she was intoxicated and had been for our previous meetings and I was too nerved up to notice. When I got home, I googled her name with DUI and found that she had one at 6PM in 2009.
I really dont know what I should do. Should I file with the board? get another lawyer? Notify the court that we would like another court date to re-hear this issue? Wait until I get the order in the mail?
We have already been through so much raising 3 children not our own for 3 years. Dealing with issues of mom and dad, issues with the children and their problems due to years of abuse and neglect...an now this. It just seems all too much.
I would appreciate any help you might have.
Laurie
NH
We had a few meeting and I suspected something was off...she would repeated ask me the same questions, seemed to have a speech issue, and even forget my name or that I was the children's aunt (I do not look like a grandmother).
We had our hearing today and I think she did a poor job. She forgot our names again and misspoke about many facts. Worse, I could smell alcohol on her breath. It all made sense (the slurring, forgetting of facts, odd behavior). The judge took our case "under advisement" so I do not know if we won or lost but I highly suspect she was intoxicated and had been for our previous meetings and I was too nerved up to notice. When I got home, I googled her name with DUI and found that she had one at 6PM in 2009.
I really dont know what I should do. Should I file with the board? get another lawyer? Notify the court that we would like another court date to re-hear this issue? Wait until I get the order in the mail?
We have already been through so much raising 3 children not our own for 3 years. Dealing with issues of mom and dad, issues with the children and their problems due to years of abuse and neglect...an now this. It just seems all too much.
I would appreciate any help you might have.
Laurie
NH
