Dear learned members,
I am a housewife with a teenage child who stays with me. After his failed efforts to convince me for MCD, my husband abandoned us 2 years back and has not come back home. All efforts of calling him back through mails, msgs, calls, intervention of relatives and friends failed. He then began pressurizing for divorce through legal notices. Thats when I filed RCR on him with just a prayer to call him back and not even a single accusation on him. He then filed for DIVORCE and send me summons through court. All the accusations given by him are false and I can prove that in court without much difficulty.
Now both the cases are running in the same court. His lawyer is a thorough professional and is handling the case by himself as my husband is settled abroad.
The problem is with my lawyer. I have paid him almost 50% of his charges in advance. Inspite of that he is not doing his work at all. He remains absent on all the dates, by giving some personal reason or the other. He keeps sending his juniors to attend the dates, without briefing them about the case. As a result of which they are not able to take any decision in his absence and my case is getting dragged for no reason.
On my behalf, without understanding, he has giving his written consent for few things to the court and after few months himself realized that he has done it wrong. Now he is trying to rectify his own mistakes by getting order from High Court, for which he expects me to shell out money. Inspite of paying him his fees in advance, he keeps demanding money to be paid to his juniors.. Because of his mistakes, the judge and the other party lawyer are getting a negative image about me and they have started feeling that I am purposely dragging the case. As a result, the judge keeps giving me one warning after another to file certain papers...........and my lawyer still takes it lightly and ensures that I am unable to file the required papers.
From my side all my paper-work is complete, but I can't proceed in the absence of my lawyer. Now the judge has even given me a warning that my case will be dismissed if I dont follow the instructions given to me.
As it is, I dont have money. Now if I have to change a lawyer, I have to pay the new person again.
Request you all to kindly advise regarding the following :-
a) Should i change my lawyer and hire a government lawyer. I heard ladies can avail legal services free from Government lawyers. But can I trust them on their integrity and sincerity ?
b) What should I do with this lawyer ? How do i bring it to the notice of the judge that I am being fooled but I am helpless in this regard.
Request all my legal expert friends to please guide me on the above.