Can my lawyer sue me for unpaid fees from a contract signed 12 years ago?
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Can my lawyer sue me for unpaid fees from a contract signed 12 years ago?
I signed a contract with a lawyer with my (now ex) wife to pursue child support for one of her children. I am now being sued by the lawyer for unpaid legal fees. The court summons shows a re-billed invoice but no breakdown of charges for work done.
Asked on January 12, 2012 under Bankruptcy Law, Nebraska
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
You can be sued for unpaid legal fees by a lawyer for a contract with him or her that was signed 12 years ago. The issue that I see which you could raise as a possible defense is that the claim may be barred by your state's statute of limitations.
My experience is that if you last made a payment to this lawyer for legal fees more than 4 yours ago, the lawsuit against you may be time barred by your state's statute of limitations for breach of a written contract or common counts.
You might want to consult with an attorney that does consumer law as to the statute of limitations defense I see for you possibly.
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