You may have noticed very few posts lately.
It's not that there isn't news; it's not that there aren't things to blog about.
It's about being BUSY. So I apologize.
Here, in a flurry, are some things on my mind about dependency defense:
1. That Las Vegas seminar is coming up. There are only a few days left to register and get a discount for being part of a group. Get in contact with me and I can hook you up with that.
2. JAC. What can I say? These days, I'm stunned when I don't get an audit deficiency for the simplest of flat rate cases. My bookkeeper quit; it's just too much hassle dealing with JAC. My other two assistants can't keep up with the audit deficiencies. So, JAC wins. I no longer even know how much they owe me and can't find enough time to schedule enough hearings over contested fees. You win, JAC; you've made up a reason to avoid complying with your contract with me on scores of cases, and finally got me to think about how to withdraw with honor from defending dependency cases.
3. The Regional Counsel attorneys in my county (that being Orange) are good folks. They tend toward the zero experience in dependency cases, but the ones working it now are doing a pretty good job. I've enjoyed, in fact, my role as de facto mentor for some of them. Interesting rumor: the waiver cases (regarding parental notification for a minor getting an abortion) in the region are all being sent to Orange County because there aren't attorneys in neighboring counties to handle them. I'm not sure what significance that has, but it is interesting.
4. Speaking of JAC, they recently gave me an audit deficiency for not including in my billing the form that I myself came up with, drafted, and distributed on the Dependency Defense website. It seems that it is now required, so pardon me if I pat myself on the back for having thought of the need for it a year ago. Use this link to find the form in MSWord form so you can adapt it to your needs (see the section of that page labeled "forms").
5. Is anyone going to the dependency summit in Orlando at the end of August? Let me know, and we can get together and compare notes.
6. The best source of information about the Russo-Georgian War is at this link.
7. The ICPC is broken. Much, much more on that later.
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A blog for the dependency defense community. To contact, e-mail to cam @ dependencydefense. com
5 comments:
I was told today by another attorney in my county that the JAC is now refusing to pay for TPR cases in which you are validly appointed, and the parent doesn't appear at trial. This despite the fact that the 5th DCA has ruled the court can't simply enter a consent and be done with it. So we must do full trials and then fight for payment. This attorney was also told even if the circuit judge orders the JAC to pay they intend to appeal the order to the DCA.
Wow. You'd think they don't want to actually pay to accomplish their mission of providing due process to indigent parents or something.
So when do we strike?
A little good news. I was told today that JAC will now pay if you can show that the parent was present for the advisory and then failed to appear at trial. We will see.
This should be brought out in the news. JAC's actions have become very juvenile. In a worst case scenario, the State should be sued in a class action suit for unjust enrichment. If an attorney works 5or whatever amount of hours on any case then that attorney should be compensated for his or her time (like anyone else), which is already set at a reduced rate.
If we are not getting paid then the State officials should be responsible. Elections come up and the news and public at large should be informed that working people are not getting paid a reduced rate to protect the Constitution. Some of us have to feed our children and pay for health insurance! Someone, please come up with an idea to open a webpage where attorneys, etc., can come together to join together to prepare for a class action suit.
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