Location: FL
My partner hired an attorney to assist with a charge for driving with a suspended license. Early on it was determined that her case was more complicated than it first appeared because paying the tickets that led to her license being suspended, would lead to an automatic suspension due to points. She was granted a pretty large extension in pre-trial proceedings while looking into it.
The lawyer was pretty communicative at first and then we didn’t hear anything, for months.
Partner got a new job, and transportation has been a pain in the neck with our household schedules to get her there (because she obviously cannot drive).
Because of this she reached out and asked her lawyer for an update and if she would file a hardship license application. Lawyer seemed less than enthusiastic about working on the case at all right now tbh, since she had the extra time to do it. And asked for additional fees to file the hardship license application. Now admittedly my partner did have to reschedule a call with her twice due to her work schedule (mandatory trainings) getting into the way, although this was a call my partner requested, and again we hadn’t heard anything in months.
Partner spoke to the admin/payment specialist and asked for a one day extension on the payment for payday. Payment specialist said that was fine. She paid on the 3rd.
I went on the clerk of courts last night and discovered and they submitted a notice to withdraw as representation on the 2nd. It’s a generic form template but I believe the reason was the “non payment”
What are our options here? We asked to speak to both the lawyer and the payment specialist tomorrow on an emergent basis. Can the lawyer withdraw the notice to withdraw?
We really can’t afford to start from scratch with someone new, we might qualify for a public defender but because of her driving record/points situation I’m worried that one isn’t really going to fight for her.
If they do proceed with the withdrawal, can we get the money we paid for the hardship license work back?