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Q: How can I change a tenant contract after my husband's passing in California?
I recently lost my husband, and we owned property together in California. My name is on the deed, but not on the contract between him and the tenants. He had a will, and there was no probate process necessary since my name was on the deed. I am actively communicating with the tenants. How do I go... View More 
Douglas K. Poulin
answered on Jun 11, 2026
answered on Jun 11, 2026
I am sorry for your loss. The first step is to confirm how title was held. Being “on the deed” is important, but the exact wording matters. If title was held as joint tenants or community property with right of survivorship, you may be able to clear title by recording an affidavit of death with... View More
Q: Is a 90-day notice valid with incorrect address and server in NY?
Is a 90-day notice of termination of tenancy valid in New York if it has the incorrect address, was not served by the person named on the notice, and was simply left on my kitchen counter? The notice was left by a man who is not listed as the server on the document.
Steven Warren Smollens
answered on Jun 11, 2026
answered on Jun 11, 2026
Dear Ogdensburg Tenant:
The process server's name will never appear on the ninety-day notice. How did this person get into your home and leave the document on the kitchen countertop?
Practically speaking, if you permitted the process server to enter the home, a local judge may... View More
3 Answers
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Child Custody, Legal Malpractice, Employment Law and Family Law
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California
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Q: How to report an attorney for overcharging and underperformance in a custody case?
I started working with an attorney in 2022 on a custody case and ended the services in 2023 without resolution. We resumed the case in 2025 after the father abducted our son. The case was finally heard in January 2026, granting me sole physical and legal custody. However, the attorney overcharged... View More
Tobie B. Waxman
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answered on Jun 11, 2026
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answered on Jun 11, 2026
Most attorneys bill their clients on a monthly basis and provide (or should provide) a detailed monthly statement specifying what was done and what was charged for it. Ethically, we are supposed to give clients a grace period for objecting to or questioning any invoice before we get paid on it.... View More
3 Answers
| Asked
in
Child Custody, Legal Malpractice, Employment Law and Family Law
for
California
on
Q: How to report an attorney for overcharging and underperformance in a custody case?
I started working with an attorney in 2022 on a custody case and ended the services in 2023 without resolution. We resumed the case in 2025 after the father abducted our son. The case was finally heard in January 2026, granting me sole physical and legal custody. However, the attorney overcharged... View More
Joel G. Selik
answered on Jun 11, 2026
answered on Jun 11, 2026
Addressing this depends on your goals.
If you goal is to get the bill reduced and pay less or get a refund, State Bar Fee Arbitration is the route.
If your goal is only to get the attorney punished, the process would be a State Bar Complaint.
Whatever your goals are, it... View More
Q: How to proceed with insurance after car is totaled with low offer?
I was involved in a car collision in Kansas where the other driver was at fault. Their insurance company wants to total my car, but they are offering me a fraction of its market value, which is $10,000. All communications with the insurance company have been verbal, and there were no injuries from... View More
Tim Akpinar
answered on Jun 11, 2026
answered on Jun 11, 2026
I'm sorry about your accident. I'm glad there were no injuries. A Kansas attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for close to a month. You could check the figures with NADA or Kelley Blue Book, or review comparable listings for your vehicle's make and model, trim... View More
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