How long should I wait for a response from my lawyer?

Asked by: Mrs. Anjali Stiedemann IV  |  Last update: September 17, 2023
Score: 4.7/5 (57 votes)

Even if your attorney is on vacation, ill, dealing with personal matters, or just really busy with other cases, they should have someone respond to your calls or emails within a few days. If you have not received a response to your call or email within three days, you should call or email again.

How long should I wait for my lawyer to reply?

Even if your lawyer is working on another case, they should still get back to you within a day or two at the most. Your lawyer owes you responsive communication, even if you're not their only client. There's no excuse for an attorney who takes weeks to return calls or emails.

Is it normal for my lawyers to not respond?

Is it Normal for an Attorney to Ignore Emails and Phone Calls? It is not normal or professional for an attorney to ignore emails and phone calls. Attorneys have an ethical duty to communicate with their clients and promptly respond to their inquiries.

What happens if your lawyer doesn't respond to you?

If your lawyer does not return your call, send them a letter and keep a copy. In the letter, describe what is bothering you and what you need. Suggest meeting with the lawyer face-to-face. Your next step would depend on the nature of the problem.

Why are lawyers so slow to respond?

Depending on the size of a firm and the number of attorneys they have available, your lawyer may have a very large docket with dozens of active personal injury cases. As such, they may be attending to cases that have upcoming deadlines before re-focusing their attention on your claim.

How Long Should it Take for My Attorney to Return My Call?

28 related questions found

Why I don't hear from my lawyer?

While you might be waiting on your lawyer, s/he may be waiting on paperwork from the other party or a court date. The Court system can work very slowly, and your attorney should make you aware of these time frames and when you should expect to hear from them.

Why don t lawyers call you back?

In fact, what it could mean is that the lawyer is actually trying to focus on winning your case, or doing something that will advance your settlement strategy. And the reason that they're not calling you back is that they have a limited amount of time.

How often should you contact your lawyer?

Even if your attorney is on vacation, ill, dealing with personal matters, or just really busy with other cases, they should have someone respond to your calls or emails within a few days. If you have not received a response to your call or email within three days, you should call or email again.

How do you follow up with a lawyer?

If you have already met with your attorney, you may want to write them to ask for another meeting. You can email them, or call them, but you may choose to write a letter. If you do so, keep it brief, formal, and clear. Format it like any business correspondence, and keep a copy for your files.

When a lawyer is not fighting for me?

If your lawyer is not fighting for you, then you have the right to fire him or her. If, for example, you have a personal injury lawyer who has proven not to be a good lawyer, you can fire that lawyer and find a new one. The procedure is very simple.

Why do lawyers tell you to not talk about your case?

The Importance of Confidentiality

Do not talk to anyone regarding anything about your case without first discussing the matter with your attorney. Because of attorney-client privilege, your attorneys are ethically bound to keep any conversations between you confidential.

Can a lawyer demand a yes or no answer?

Yes. The witness should answer as briefly as possible. If not, the attorney should instruct the witness, “yes or no.” If the question really mandates a yes or know answer then the court/judge will likely require such an answer (along with “I don't know / recall).

Can a lawyer insist on a yes or no answer?

If an attorney demands a “yes” or “no” answer and you can not give one, let the judge know that, and explain that to do so would be misleading to the court or inaccurate. If your answer was not correctly stated, correct it immediately. If your answer was not clear, clarify it immediately.

Will a lawyer ever text you?

Privilege exists when there is an attorney-client relationship. This means potential and current clients should be able to expect communication—through any channel, including text messaging—to remain secure and confidential.

What time should you send email to lawyers?

We've always advised our law firm clients to distribute their emails first thing in the morning as clients and other contacts are arriving in their offices and beginning their days.

What happens after you say you want a lawyer?

No, once a suspect in police custody requests a lawyer, the police are generally required to stop questioning the suspect until a lawyer is present. This is known as the "Miranda warning" and is based on the Supreme Court's decision in the case of Miranda v. Arizona.

What are the five tips to talk to a lawyer?

5 Tips for Talking to a Lawyer
  • Tip #1: Planning in advance will save time and money.
  • Tip #2: Give us all of the information.
  • Tip #3: Ask all of your questions.
  • Tip #4: Share your concerns.
  • Tip #5: Don't be afraid to follow up.

Should you tell everything to your lawyer?

It is the kind of information that the client may wish to share with anyone – even their lawyer. The truth is this – a lawyer, any lawyer handling any important legal matter must have all of the facts and evidence in the case to do their job.

Is it wise to tell your lawyer everything?

A Well-Informed Attorney is a Prepared Attorney

You should not hold any information back, even if it makes it clear you committed a crime. Your attorney needs as much detail as possible when preparing your case. They can create the most advantageous defense for you only if they know everything that actually happened.

Do better lawyers win more often?

That is, a 'better' lawyer may win more often because he or she chooses better cases to bring to court — and declines or settles those with a lesser chance of winning.

What questions should you ask your lawyer?

Questions to Ask Your Lawyer During a Consultation
  • 1) What kind of experience do you have with similar cases?
  • 2) What would be your strategy for my case?
  • 3) Are there any alternatives to going to court?
  • 4) What are my possible outcomes?
  • 5) Who will actually handle my case?
  • 6) What is my role in my case?

Should you have multiple lawyers?

However, there are times when it might be necessary to have multiple attorneys collaborate for the sake of creating the right legal strategy to fight for your rights in or out of court. In such a setting, you can have multiple attorneys working on your case to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Do you always tell your lawyer the truth?

While most attorneys will want to know all of the details, some may feel they can be of better service if they don't have the entire story. All of this will depend on your criminal case and who your criminal defense attorney is. It's always recommended to not waste any time if charged with a crime.

Should you ever talk without a lawyer?

Some bad cops might even badger a false confession out of suspects just to get the case closed. This is why we highly recommend hiring a lawyer (or at least speaking to one) before answering questions about any criminal case, even if you had no involvement whatsoever.

What do lawyers say in court when they don't agree?

When a lawyer says "objection" during court, he is telling the judge that he thinks his opponent violated a rule of procedure. The judge's ruling determines what the jury is allowed to consider when deciding the verdict of a case.