Is there a legal code for lawyers to call respondent before court hearing?

B

BayAreaCurious

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Jurisdiction
California
Is there a legal code that requires a lawyer to call the respondent before a court hearing to ask if they would like to agree with with the petitioners requests?
 
adjusterjack said:
No.

The petitioner's lawyer has no such obligation.

However, the respondent is free to call the petitioner's lawyer at any time and agree to anything.
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Thank you adjusterjack. I thought there was something very fishy about that phone call because as soon as I said "No" I do not agree with the petitioner's requests she started to stutter and sounded in shock? Which shouldn't have come to her as a surprise since I have not agreed to any of her clients requests since paper work was filed. She told me under some code that she was obligated to call me and see if I would agree to her clients requests.
 
Last edited:
It wasn't clear in your post that you actually received a call.

There's no code or law compelling an attorney or party to call and ask if you want to settle but there is certainly an option to do so and it makes sense to do it before trial to avoid the expense of trial by both parties.

There's really nothing fishy about doing it or not doing it.

The lawyers reaction to your declination is a bit strange but I don't see it as indicative of anything one way or another.
 
bayareaseeker said:
Thank you adjusterjack. I thought there was something very fishy about that phone call because as soon as I said "No" I do not agree with the petitioner's requests she started to stutter and sounded in shock? Which shouldn't have come to her as a surprise since I have not agreed to any of her clients requests since paper work was filed. She told me under some code that she was obligated to call me and see if I would agree to her clients requests.
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The call may have been made in an effort to reach a settlement.
From your recitation of the call, the lawyer call seems amateurish, leading me to believe a paralegal may have been acting according to the lawyer's direction.
Otherwise, if it was the lawyer, things portend well for you.

Judges tend to push litigants to reach compromises, to avoid protracted court battles.

The law, however, allows each party their day in court.

If you're not inclined to negotiate, settle, or compromise you're well within your rights to litigate.

Good luck.
 

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