The following names are not necessarily tried and true lawyers for these types of cases - some have merely expressed an interest in taking on these types of cases. We have added our opinion comments to assist you in your decision. If you have problems or successes with anyone listed here, or any attorney you have worked with, or would like to make recommendations, pleas notify us and we will make the appropriate report on this site. This site does not constitute advertising for any attorney listed here. see here for complaints about attorneys
Eastern Massachusetts - Michael Rich. . .781-641-3472 Charges a sliding scale fee - has worked/consulted with the Family Advocacy Center
Belcher Town, Massachusetts - Greg Hession. . .413-323-7508 See his web site Vigorous defender of parents and family rights. We have met him personally and find him to be exceedingly competent and to posses the highest Christian, ethical and moral values. Possibly pursuing a class action lawsuit like the one in Utah.
Wisconsin, Rebecca Gietman 920-759-9549 Another vigorous defender of Family Rights. If you need an attorney in Wisconsin, she would be our recommendation.
Birmingham, Alabama - Thomas B. Hanes . . .205-322-0471 fax 205-322-0484 Attended 1998 VOCAL Conference - said he was willing to consult with the Family Advocacy Center.
Louisville, Kentucky - Vince Heuser - 502-458-5879 Vince Heuser has successfully defended several cases involving parents rights. Heuser was very aggressive forcing one judge to recuse herself for improper secret communications with a social worker and obtaining a dismissal of the case involving corporal punishment. e-mail heuser@iglou.com - another possible class action lawsuit
Durango, Colorado - Terry Price. . .970-259-0002
Has successfully defended a VERY complicated D&N case. Does mostly criminal work. Is very aggressive - will not travel.
Utah - Mike Humiston - see his website - is vigorously fighting for parents and families. This brave soul has actually intervened when CPS and police were on his client’s doorstep. He protected the children of his client, spiriting them away in his car, evading the blocked driveway by driving across the lawn.
Montana - Tim Whalen - 406-259-8793 - Aggressive and willing attorney with Christian values. He has demonstrated great strength of character and is willing to go out on a limb and use all legal tools available to him for the benefit of his client.
California - The Chase Law Group, Inc. - is the Criminal Defense Team that the prosecution is praying you don't call!
Wisconsin - Mr. Nicholas Bokas. Mr. Bokas is a very good Public Defender (Madison, Wisconsin) and he handles Criminal Defense, etc. Nick, a former Vietnam combat marine, has gotten indictments against police officers that committed perjury. (submitted by a reader.)
Oklahoma....need a good attorney? Go and see THIS one:
Alan Rosenbaum
702 SW A Ave
Lawton, OK 73501
(580) 357-3900
Honest to God, he'll take their "evidence" and make the judge (and the prosecutor and Social Wrecker) laugh about it.....no crap....LOLOLOL, you all should have been at my trial, the poor judge almost fell off his chair from laughing so hard.....;-))))Sabine
The Family Advocacy Center has received complaints about the following attorneys: The included comments are based on reports and/or our observations and constitute opinion. It has come to our attention that many of the attorneys listed below view their appearance at this location on this website as a ”badge of honor.” One can only presume that if they had a conscience, they would endeavor to improve their practice rather than taking pride in the public exposure of their reported incompetence, malfeasance and malice. The Nazis thought they were right, too. . .res ipsa loquitur
Roger Larson, Colorado Springs & Fremont County, CO. A court appointed ‘facilitator.’ Refused to submit evidence or witnesses at adjudication trial in an effort to coerce the mom into admitting to the petition. Self-serving incompetence personified. Under the iron thumb of Rocco Meconi (see below).
Dan Kender - Pueblo, Fremont and El Paso CO Counties The clone of Roger Larson (above) So useless he couldn’t even represent himself by filing a a proper appeal brief. AFAC has observed him in action. . . You would be just as well served with a life-size photograph cardboard cutout of this dolt to display at counsel table while you are in court. A liar to boot.
Brad Redmiles Salida, CO Ditto to the above reports . . .it would be reduntant to repeat.
Rocco Meconi - county attorney Fremont County DHS - “Mafia-type Lord” of Fremont County. Evil Personified. Meconi testified to making over $400,000 a year in a low income rural Colorado County - and he does this stealing babies for profit. He is a pathological liar, and a ruthless bully against anyone who crosses him. Your children are not safe in Fremont county as long as he’s around. He and Judge Julie Marshall (the Queen of Hearts) are commonly referred to as the M&M connection. Don’t count on truth or justice when either one of them are involved. Our director is in his sights and she has received threats and fears for her life, liberty and safety from this quarter.
Rowe Stayton - Denver Metro area, Colorado - complaints from more than five clients, including multiple complaints of taking all of the client’s money and then failing and refusing to make timely filings or to even minimally represent the client in court. In our opinion, this guy is only in it for the money - once he sucks you dry, he’s outta there. and you’ve lost your kids and/or your freedom.
Ed Schaumberg - Arapahoe County - Aurora, Colorado - court appointed defense lawyer - complaints from 3 clients - 2 known bar complaints filed. Tried to be released from Termination of Parental Rights case a few days before the trial - clearly did not prepare for the trial. Violated his client’s (the respondent mother) rights by demanding she be appointed a GAL without a competency hearing. Refused to work with FAC despite the fact that FAC had a power of attorney to act on behalf of the mother.
Wayne Lauer - Denver, Arapahoe County, Colorado - court appointed - over 5 complaints. Refused to allow client input into the case, refused to inform client of strategies planned, refused to work with FAC (was actually verbally abusive at the courthouse and the FAC volunteer literally felt threatened by his actions and posture). Immediately thereafter, he was observed divulging confidential client information to Ed Schaumberg (above) and an opposing attorney on 9-1-99 at the Arapahoe County courthouse outside of Division T, violating attorney-client privilege without the permission of the client.
James Krieger - Minneapolis, Minnesota - court appointed defense lawyer (public defender's office) - complaint from one client - 1 known bar complaint filed. 1 appeal accepted (in three days!) by Minnesota appeals court based on his ineffective assistance of counsel.
Elliott Powers - Colorado Springs, Colorado - court appointed defense lawyer - complaint from one client - 1 known bar complaint filed. UPDATE - it appears that Powers may have participated in an “unauthorized practice of law” complaint against Suzanne Shell.
Chris Acker - Colorado Springs, Colorado - Court appointed defense lawyer - complaints from two clients - 1 known bar complaint filed. Has not been heard from in quite a while. UPDATE - He’s a county judge now. . . scary thought.
Elizabeth Hoover - Colorado Springs, Colorado - Court appointed defense lawyer - complaints from 3 clients - 1 known bar complaint filed. Refuses to keep clients who want to work with FAC.
Consuelo Williams - Colorado Springs, Colorado - GAL and court appointed defense lawyer - complaints from more than 4 clients. Refuses to work with FAC. UPDATE (9-11-99) - Williams has been a participant in an “unauthorized practice of law” (UPL) complaint against Suzanne Shell. In this complaint she clearly states her personal animosity against Shell based on Shell’s alleged interventions and actions at the request of William’s own clients.She also knowingly and willfully slandered Shell by stating that Shell has drafted a pleading for Federal court, filed it and forged Ms. Williams signature on it, forwarding this complaint to the UPL committee - but Shell has never seen this alleged document and the UPL committee did not turn it over under discovery - does it even exist? Clearly, if she was doing a proper job of representing her clients, there wouldn’t be so many of them contacting FAC for assistance and making remarkably similar complaints against Ms. Williams. Based on what we’ve seen, in our opinion Williams is the worst attorney for D&N cases in Colorado Springs.
Phillip “Brad” Sharp - Colorado Springs, Colorado - GAL and court appointed defense lawyer - complaints from 3 clients, one of which is in Termination of Parental Rights hearing continued to July. Refuses to work with FAC. NOTE: he lost the TPR case - FAC observed his defense - you may e-mail a request for our analysis of his (in)competence. The attorney for the other parent on this same case was Vince Rahaman, the same goes for him.
Vince Rahaman - Colorado Springs, Colorado - GAL & Court appointed defense lawyer - complaint from 1 client. Will not work with FAC or take clients who are working with FAC. UPDATE - Rahaman participated in a complaint against Suzanne Shell for the unauthorized practice of law and in doing so has revealed confidential client information to outside sources (including to the head judge who hears these cases) which violated attorney-client privilege without the client’s permission! Sucks up to the system at the expense of respondent parents and children.
Guy McCready, Colorado Springs, Colorado - 3 complaints from clients. In our opinion, one of the five worst attorneys in El Paso County, Colorado. UPDATE - Rather than accept Supreme Court sanctions, McCready has turned in his license to practice law in Colorado. Watch out, he can still take the bar exam in another state. Update - he is now free to practice again. (Hey - you other guys on this list - wanna know who’s next?)
Judith Hufford - Colorado Springs, Colorado - GAL - Hufford refuses to present or provide written GAL reports depriving the respondent parents of the right to have access to her reports before she gives them to the court as mandated by Supreme Court directives. 6 complaints received and they keep coming in. 5 known bar complaints filed. UPDATE - FAC has received numerous complaints from parties that The Colorado Supreme Court Attorney Regulation Counsel has been refusing to investigate complaints against this attorney stating that they are without merit. This is the “Brotherhood of the Bar” at it’ finest folks. UPDATE: The complaints must have worked - Hufford has moved out of her law offices, was passed over for the position managing the newly formed GAL office, and is reportedly not getting any more GAL contracts. Sources have reported she is under criminal investigation for criminal actions connected with her GAL responsibilities.
Fitzgerald and Gartner, L.L.P - C. Lee Crawley, Jr.
7 Switchbud Place, Suite 205, The Woodlands, Tx 77380
(281) 296-2413 - (281) 296-2415 Fax
Neglected/refused to make constitutional arguments or employ legal strategies including making the state bear the burden of proof. AFAC would not recommend this firm for respondent parent representation of child dependency cases.
Frank Lettenberger - Wisconsin GAL. Stole the intellectual property of Suzanne Shell and has refused to pay for it valued at $600,000.00. Illegally copied and distributed this intellectual property to harm the case of the mother of the children he was GAL for in order to Retaliate against her. He recommended placement of the children with the father who has a criminal history of sexual crime(s), drug abuse and sales and domestic violence. In this process, he actually knew the father committed perjury and did not fulfill his ethical obligation as an officer of the court to report it. Ignored and/or discounted child’s claims pertaining to the father’s unfitness and observation of drugs in his possession. He has been actively engaged in efforts with the ex-husband, CPS and probation to make sure that a Wisconsin pastor’s wife loses all of her children regardless of the fact that the children have remained safe and UNHARMED in her care.
Update March 2005: Since the two children lived with dad, the boy has been busted multiple times for for drugs and assault, set the father’s house on fire, been committed to residential treatment at least once, jailed and more. . . Nice call Frank!!! DAD has confessed to buying off the judge/GAL etc. claiming there was “no way he would lose this case.”
IMHO, an all-around asshole with an attitude who is so ignorant of the law that it boggles the mind, who is so drunk with power that it blinds him to the facts. A supreme “control freak.” This man is a very good NAZI!(He whined to the judge and threatened to sue me because I called him a Nazi! What a wienie! hee hee hee) In other words, your worst nightmare of a GAL. If you’ve had this guy as a GAL on your case, we want to hear from you.
|
