Connecticut Courts Launch Limited Appearance Pilot Program
The Connecticut court system has launched a Limited Appearance Pilot Program. This program, which commenced on January 6, 2014 was established for all family matters and family support magistrate matters throughout the State of Connecticut. We are pleased to announce we have already incorporated this program in our practice with great success.
The Limited Appearance Pilot Program will allow people with family law matters within the state of Connecticut to hire an attorney on a limited basis. The goal of the program is to help people who can’t afford to retain an attorney to be able to hire one for experienced legal counsel relating to a specific part of their case.
Judicial Branch officials say that more people are having problems affording lawyers, which is resulting in many representing themselves for complex civil and family law matters. The pilot program includes new legal forms, which will allow attorneys to file for limited appearances in cases with the ability to fully withdraw from the case once their specific portion of the work is completed.
Law firms, such as The Prince Law Group, LLC, have been advocating for this type of family law limited representation program for a long time. This pilot program allows individuals to pay for particular legal issues in which they really need help because court can be intimidating and it is an attorney’s job to present the facts clearly and advocate when their client is under stress. However, if the client and the attorney both agree that the attorney will provide additional legal help after the limited appearance proceedings are complete, they will need to enter into a new agreement. At this point, to continue representation, the attorney will be required to file another limited appearance form identifying the additional proceedings within the case.
This new program will most benefit people who are looking to hire an attorney for a certain complex part of their family law case such as a Court-ordered Status or Pre-trial Conference; Hearing on Order for Relief of Abuse; Pre-Judgment Motions and Hearings or Post-Judgment Motions and Hearings. At times, family law matters can become confusing and emotional to the people involved and that is where an attorney can step in to articulate clearly what type of information the court is seeking. It is very difficult for judges to hear pro se cases and while many of them try to give some leeway, when you are dealing with a life changing matter it is always better to have an attorney on your side.
If you are currently representing yourself in a family law related matter such as divorce and are interested in hiring an attorney for a specific aspect of your case, The Prince Law Group, LLC can help answer any questions you may have regarding the Connecticut Limited Appearance Pilot Program. Contact our experienced Stamford divorce lawyers at 203-653-8483 or fill out the online contact form.