When you hire an attorney, you may put your full trust in his or her ability to represent you in court. Attorneys should have complete and full knowledge of the judicial process and should use this information to ensure your case has the best possible chance of succeeding. There are situations, however, where attorneys do not always meet the needs of their clients. Legal mistakes may be made that have a direct impact on the outcome of the case. Attorneys may be deficient in their responsibilities when they fail to meet important legal deadlines pertaining to the case.
In any type of case, it is imperative that certain deadlines must be met, including time periods where documents and information pertaining to the case may be turned into the court. The statute of limitations gives a specific time periods when charges may be admitted to the court. If these deadlines are not met, the case may be delayed or thrown out altogether. According to the American Bar Association, 8.6 percent of legal malpractice cases involve failure to file documents on time, while 6.6 percent of cases involve attorneys’ failing to know what the deadlines are. Delaying deadlines, procrastination and planning errors can all lead to the issue of missing crucial deadlines as well.
If you have an attorney that has failed to meet deadlines and he or she has directly impacted your case as a result, you may have a legal malpractice case.
This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.