Attorney Switch During Divorce
Summary
The user switched attorneys during their divorce due to an incident where their former attorney accidentally forwarded an email from another case. They are concerned about what their former attorney might have shared with their current attorney and whether they have the right to know the details of that conversation. They are also worried about the slow progress of their divorce proceedings, the lack of communication between their current attorney and their spouses attorney, and the impact of the divorce on their nine-year-old daughter. The user and their spouse are currently trying to settle or go to court over the division of assets and property, specifically a house worth about $100-$125,000. The user wants to be fully bought out of the house, but their spouse wants them to waive their right to the buyout.Full Conversation
I have switched attorneys in the middle of a divorce, and I would like to know if I have the right to know what my former attorney said to my current attorney about me at substitution
What was the reason for your attorney switch? This could impact the information shared between your former and current attorney.
I felt my
previous attorney was not representing my interests effectively. Can I request the conversation details between the two attorneys?
I felt my current attorney was not representing me well, and had made what I understand wasn’t ethical mistake during the course of my time with her.
What specific unethical mistake did your previous attorney make? This could be crucial in determining if any legal boundaries were crossed.
She accidentally forwarded me an email to another case
What was the content of the email that was accidentally forwarded to you?
it was a conversation between her and another opposing counsel in a different divorce
What was the nature of the conversation in the email? Was it confidential or sensitive information related to the other divorce case?
I read a little bit of it before I realized it had absolutely nothing to do with me, but it was her and opposing counsel going back-and-forth about one spouse, moving out of the other spouses house
What actions have you taken since discovering this mistake?
I switched attorneys shortly afterwards
What information do you believe your former attorney might have shared with your current attorney that concerns you?
I honestly don’t know, but the new attorney seem to be handling my case a lot more urgently before he had a conversation with my previous attorney.shortly after they talked about my case, he handed me off to another attorney in his firm
What is the name of your current attorney's firm? This will help me provide you with the relevant rules and contact details for the appropriate legal body in Pennsylvania.
J Myers Law Group
What is the location of J Myers Law Group? This will help me provide you with the relevant rules and contact details for the appropriate legal body in Pennsylvania.
Butler County
What specific changes in your current attorney's behavior made you feel that they are handling your case more urgently?
they are handling it less urgently now, and my divorce is now in its 14th month
What specific actions or behaviors made you feel that your case is being handled less urgently now?
my attorney stopped taking my calls, and doesn’t follow up on my emails quickly or with much information. She never follows up my emails with a phone call anymore.
What was the last communication you had with your attorney regarding your case?
i’ve actually been speaking with her the last two days via email, but that’s because I had a concern with my wife blocking me from speaking with my daughter. It took something like that to actually get her with me again.
What is the current status of your divorce proceedings?
We’re waiting to either settle or go to court over the division of assets and property
What is the nature of the assets and property you are trying to divide?
One house on * */* acres worth about $*-$*,*
What is the proposed division of the property and assets between you and your spouse?
I want to be fully bought out of the house, she wants me to fully waive my right to the buyout
What is the reason your spouse wants you to waive your right to the buyout?
I don’t know for sure
What is your spouse's argument or reasoning for wanting you to waive your right to the buyout?
The only thing she’s ever said in response is that I need to think about our daughter
What is your daughter's age and who has the primary custody?
She’s nine years old and it’s shared custody
What is the current arrangement of the shared custody?
it’s a *-*-*-*-*-* split
What does the *-*-*-*-*-* split in your shared custody arrangement mean?
mom gets her every Monday and Tuesday, I get her every Wednesday and Thursday, and then we alternate Friday, Saturday and Sunday Sunday
What is the impact of this custody arrangement on your daughter?
She’s having a difficult time with a divorce overall
What specific difficulties is your daughter experiencing due to the divorce?
Well, she was telling me that she wanted to live with me forever, and was asking me to come home. However, that abruptly stopped after custody court once her mom and I began communicating via our family wizard.
What changes have you noticed in your daughter's behavior or attitude since you started communicating through Our Family Wizard?
She will randomly ask me a question like, whose idea was it to get a divorce? Or, are you and mommy officially divorced yet or are you still technically married?
What was your response to your daughter's questions about the divorce?
for the first question, I told her that nobody was to blame for the divorce and it was the decision that mommy and daddy made together. For the second question, I really couldn’t think of a child friendly answer, so I just said yes mommy and I are still married
What is your main concern regarding your divorce proceedings at this moment?
I feel it’s dragging on too long
What steps have you taken to express your concerns about the delay to your current attorney?
I’ve expressed to her that I feel it’s dragging on too long
What was your attorney's response when you expressed your concern about the delay?
She said that family courts are just very busy.
What is the name and location of the family court handling your divorce case?
But I have another concern
What is your other concern?
My wife’s attorney has yet to answer any phone calls from my new attorney. That has been going on since the beginning of July.
What is the name and location of your wife's attorney's firm?
Theresa Ferris-Ducovitch, Beaver County
What is the name of the family court handling your divorce case?
It’s in the Beaver County court, I’m not sure with the official name of the family court is
The official name of the family court in Beaver County is "Beaver County Court of Common Pleas - Family Division". Their contact number is (*) *-*.
Yes, that’s the one
Yes, that is who is handling my case
What is the name of your wife's attorney?
Theresa Ferris-Ducovic
Theresa Ferris-Dukovic
Theresa Ferris-Dukovich
What is the nature of the communication between your current attorney and Theresa Ferris-Dukovich?
They’ve never spoken to each other
The two attorneys have never spoken with each other
What attempts have your current attorney made to communicate with Theresa Ferris-Dukovich?
she has left a voicemails, and I believe she has also attempted emails
my attorney has left the other attorney voicemail
What was the content of the voicemail your attorney left for the other attorney?
My attorney has made request to speak with the other attorney about the case via Voicemail
My attorney has requested to speak with the other attorney about
My attorney has requested to speak with my wife’s attorney regarding our
I’m sorry, I’m having trouble with the chat function
I understand your concern. Can you tell me if your current attorney has informed you about any legal obligation to share information with your previous attorney?
She has not
My attorney has not informed me of any such legal obligation
What is the nature of the information you believe your former attorney might have shared with your current attorney?
I don’t know the nature of it, but I want to, and I want to know if I have the right to know
I don’t know, I want to know if I have the right to know the nature of it
I don’t know the nature of my current attorneys conversation with my former attorney
What specific concerns do you have about the conversation between your current and former attorney?
I want to know if I have the right to know the nature of the conversation
Do I have the right to know the nature of their conversation about me?
Do I have the right to know the attorneys conversation about me?
Do I have the right to ask? My current attorney what my former attorney said about me
What are my rights regarding the attorneys conversations?
Yes, you have the right to ask your current attorney about the conversation they had with your former attorney. This falls under attorney-client privilege.
thank you very much