Our homeowner's association's attorney..

[draggar]

.. is the world's biggest asshole.

Let's set aside the fact that he's not a real estate attorney (which an association shoudl have). Luckily, our (personal) attorney is, so we've had a lot of protection from this guy, but he, and the boar,d have bullied many of the homeowners here.

They've threatened to call INS on immigrant families here (even ones who are 100% legal) if they complain about lack of commitment or action from the board. They've even threatened to call INS on us. I'd say go for it because we can sue their assess (not only are my wife and I legal residents of the US, we wer eboth born here, 3 of the parents were born here, one is a 100% legal us citizen).

They've verbally insulted us (even cussing us out over the phone) for our constant complaints due to their lack of maintenance (our roof has been leaking for over 4 years now and the board didn't pass a special assessment to fix it because the board couldn't afford it (which was documented). The only reason our roofs are being replaced now is because insurance is flipping most of the bill from hurricane Wilma (which, by the way was drawn out because the board never maintained the roofs).

Letters that go out have spelling errors, typos, and grammatical errors all over the place. OK, I'm not the best, but it's called SPELL CHECK people.

But the ultimate piece of cake?

Last night, during a special assessment meeting (which is a whole other clusterfuc) the attorney was sitting down on a chair, there were 5 chairs and he was the only guy sitting. One of the homeoners came to the meeting, VERY pregnant. We're talking 8-9 months along. Did he get up to give her his chair? Nope! She stood for several members until the only non-bard members who had a chair got up and gave it to her.

Nice way to lead by example, asshole (by the way, other attorneys we've spoken to in the past have actually referred to our association's attorney as an asshole).

[Dreamstalker]

Wait...this guy's cursing at you because they're dropping the ball on their maintenance duties?

Calling INS for what amounts to nothing is illegal (might fall under filing a false report). Can he be gone after for conduct unbecoming an attorney or something like that?

[Shabo]

Too bad you can't have attorneys disbarred for being asshats.

[protege]

Too bad you can't have attorneys disbarred for being asshats.

If that was the case...there wouldn't be any left

[Pagan]

They've even threatened to call INS on us. I'd say go for it because we can sue their assess (not only are my wife and I legal residents of the US, we wer eboth born here, 3 of the parents were born here, one is a 100% legal us citizen).

And just what in the hell do they think INS is going to do to a natural born citizen? Wait, wait, I got it. Did you move there from another state? Maybe they think they can get you deported back there! Since they obviously don't know what INS is.

[JustADude]

Since they obviously don't know what INS is.

Maybe they actually mean the International Nutters' Society?

I mean, they're obviously loony enough to qualify as members.

[The cat whisperer]

The next time they threaten to call INS you should dare them too. Besides the fact you were born in this country, the INS ceased to exist in 2003*. So unless that lawyer has a time machine in his briefcase they would be out of luck.

*Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took over much of the duties of the INS**

** I love Wikipedia.

[Tutorgal]

Draggar, maybe you should call your state bar association. They take ethics violations very seriously, and a lawyer can't run around threatening and harassing people. Not to mention doing so in order to help his clients avoid their legal responsibilities.

[Kiwi]

One of the homeoners came to the meeting, VERY pregnant. We're talking 8-9 months along. Did he get up to give her his chair? Nope!

I hate when people dont stand for elderly, disabled or heavily pregnant women! I remember being at a dinner party once and the elderly woman was the host and being polite, took the last chair (it was a kitchen stool) while 3 teenagers sat in regular chairs.

They all looked really embarressed when I offered up my chair so she could sit comfortably and stared at the table for the rest of the night... and too bloody right!

[Dreamstalker]

The next time they threaten to call INS you should dare them too. Besides the fact you were born in this country, the INS ceased to exist in 2003.

If they do it, that might also be seen as interfering with federal duties...

[draggar]

If that was the case...there wouldn't be any left

One or two? My wife's uncle is a real estate attorney. He left the regular law firm because he couldn't stand all the BS that was flying around.

Another good one is our attorney, who is also a real estate attorney. Wait, do we see a trend?

I couldn't stand the defense attorney when I was on jury duty. "Yes, my client went into (store) to steal medicine, but he is still innocent". (When you catch the guy with over $500 in painkillers, sudaphed, and so on in their pants??).

[Seshat]

I couldn't stand the defense attorney when I was on jury duty. "Yes, my client went into (store) to steal medicine, but he is still innocent". (When you catch the guy with over $500 in painkillers, sudaphed, and so on in their pants??).

With the adversarial judicial system most Western countries use, the job of the defence attorney is to try to proclaim the defendant's innocence - even when the defendant is a complete idiot.

Also, the attorney is instructed by the client, the attorney can't instruct the client. Any defence attorney (who wasn't themselves an idiot) would have said 'look, they've got you on record with the drugs down your pants, plead guilty and take the rap, you're screwed'. But if the client says 'no. I won't plead guilty,' the attorney has to try to figure out some way to make this blatantly guilty person look innocent.

Some attorneys will refuse to take the case in blatant situations like this. Some are money-hungry and will take it anyway (how are they going to get paid? I dunno). Some will take the case, do their best knowing they're going to fail, and laugh with the prosecution attorney at the bar afterwards. Some take these cases because they're court-appointed attorneys and will take even the most hopeless case. And some believe that even idiots deserve legal representation.

I'd like to come up with a better judicial system, myself. But while we have this system, there's always going to be an attorney thinking 'god, my client is such an idiot' and standing there proclaiming that a blatantly guilty idiot is innocent.

[cinema guy]

Defence attorneys have to defend the blatantly guilty as well as the not-so-blatantly innocent.

Draggar: if you are the homeowners, and it is your association, can you not do something about the attorney? Or are you renters and thus have no say in the matter?

[LostMyMind]

I would report him to the bar in your state. Even if nothing happens, get everyone to do it. If he gets enough complaints on records, something will get done.

If you're home owners, request a motion at the next meeting to dismiss this lawyer. Make sure you got other home owners willing to back you up publicly. Double check your deed's restrictions, see what rights you have against the home owner association.

The home owner association supposed to work for the home owners, not the other way around. If you're not paid up in your dues, then really you have no standing to complain.

[Dreamstalker]

I hate when people dont stand for elderly, disabled or heavily pregnant women! I remember being at a dinner party once and the elderly woman was the host and being polite, took the last chair (it was a kitchen stool) while 3 teenagers sat in regular chairs.

I'm willing to bet I'm one of the few people in Boston under 30 who will willingly give up my seat on the T even if I have lots of bags. Lately I've had to "defend" seats until a handicapped or elderly person could occupy them.