I am getting sued and can't afford a lawyer.?

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☼RkЯ™	The court will give you a lawyer. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

pearl_hoff	apply for a public defender Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

GreenGirl	Either the court will appoint you one, or else you could check with a local Legal Aid in your area. They have attorneys (sometimes law students, too) that can take your case for little or no money. If I were you, I'd definetely go with the court appointed attorney over the Legal Aid people...those places are frequented by and populated with morons, from what I've heard from the attorneys I work with. Good luck - no offense, but it sounds like you're in for a rough haul. EDIT: Free or low cost consultations won't get you anywhere...I wouldn't bother. You need an attorney to go to court with you and spend time on your matter, not to sit down and say "Yup, you're screwed." ;) Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

undrgroundskat3r	get a non-profit lawyer! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

canes77	Check to see if there is Legal Aid available in your area. You could also set up an initial consultation with an attorney. Those are usually no or low fee. Just because you meet with them doesn't mean you have to hire them. You can also go to the library and check out books on representing yourself. Look in the real estate section and the legal section. You really should at least consult with an attorney that specializes in real estate matters though. Bring your contract and disclosures and any inspection reports you have so they have as much info as possible when you talk to them. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

JipJop	You can represent yourself. However, I strongly suggest you look up how to represent yourself in a court of law. The ONLY support you have is the orginal inspector. He is the one you need to get in contact with and ave as your main witness. You can also try a lawyer for probono. Which is free lawyer, hwoever, the seldom do it. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Thomas T	Ask the Bar Association in your jurisdiction for lawyer referrals. Talk to several to see if any can help you at reduced rates or on a payment plan. Otherwise the last thing you want to do is default the case. You can let the court know in writing that you object to the suit and that you want it dismissed. Even if you did the plumbing yourself, it may be possible to hire a licensed plumber to inspect it and get it passed. You may be able to hire someone to fix the problems for less money than the new owners. You should be given that opportunity unless the new owners have a reasonable objection and the Court backs them up. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

wyld_fyre	Looks like it should be the inspector who is held accountable. Did you get something in writing? Check for Legal Aid in your state. They provide legal services based on need and your income. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

loopyirishgirly	free consaltation is a good idea and maybe get a no win no fee lawyer Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Faith,	Get a loan, or borrow some money from a friend until you can afford to pay this off. Good luck!! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

roadrunner426440	this may depend a bit on where you live Were you required to complete a disclosure form for the house - what did it say about the plumbing? Did you replace all the plumbing yourself? What does your contract for the sale say? I am not sure the inspector they hired could be held responsible for things he could not see (like plumbing) so that argument may have less validity than you might hope Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

wizjp	Can you afford to lose the case? Get with a local atty who is willing to set you up a payment plan. Without permits and proper licensing, you can be out a ton here. In reality, you are probably going to have to pay to bring it up to code; would a settlement offer to fix it be cheaper? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Giggly Giraffe	Well, if you can't afford a lawyer, you probably can't afford to pay the ppl sueing you. However, if you're a business, you may have purchased insurance which would cover this. Some home owners have "umbrella" polices that will cover being sued ... call you're insurance agent (car & home). Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

shadowman	That's about par for the course, people suing for anything these day's. Find out who the inspector was and keep his name handy. He's the one who will be involved with you if in fact there is a hearing. Also consider this, the title company who closed on the house for the new owners accepted the inspection and closed on the house. Title companies will usually pay the cost of any repairs or mistakes as that is part of their duties. Good luck with them. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

xplane	check out a course that teaches you the fundamentals about law. It is affordable and will teach you what you find out is helpful & remarkably easy It teaches step by step a understanding of courts, etc. you'll see this is a valuable course whether you already have a suit pending or not, or can afford to hire an attorney or not. www.jurisdictionary.com Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

FaZizzle	Question: how did you sell the house without getting the city inspector to look at your work? All major projects like that have to get a stamp of approval. I would SPEAK with a lawyer and see what your options are. Also read the contract they signed. Most times lawyers will give you a free consultation. They bought they house and should have hired a house inspector. Their loss. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Nascar=My one true love!!	what about your brother-in-law? can yall not just split the legal fees? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

hello	The inspector approved it, so you shouldn't have a problem. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

cybersharque	Let me get this straight. You are flipping houses and you don't have insurance? For a measly $1,000 a year, you could have legal counsel covered after you pay the self-insured retainage. But it sounds like you could not pay the retainage, which is usually $10,000 to $25,000. So now you will most likely end up in bankruptcy court. And that will not remove the criminal charge for unlawful plumbing work, which (if you touched a natural gas line) is muy serios, let me tell you. You will have court-appointed counsel for the criminal case, but not for the lawsuit. Foolish, foolish, foolish. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

AckAck_Eagle	Did you get the appropriate building permits along with review of your construction plans/drawings, prior to beginning the work? If yes, did the area code enforcement inspector 'approve/sign off ' on the rough-in's and final inspections? If yes you are probably OK UNLESS your work was defective in an area that would impact Health or Safety. In which case your inspector would also have the potential for some problems. The more 'NO' answers you have to the questions above, the more potential you have for some serious problems. The 'inspector' your buyer's brought into the transaction probably did not represent the area code enforcement officials (Federal, State, County, City, and/or local). Therefore, no legal responsibilities for the condition of the property other than a civil 'incompetence' issue between him and the new owners. Check with any Legal Aid agencies in your area, your local District Attorney, or pursue some of the 'legal insurance' policies that are available in some areas. This could get very expensive. Maybe negotiate a deal with the buyers to have licensed plumbers bring the work up to code. If you do not have the money for a Lawyer you may not have the money to pay a judgment - if one is placed against you. But that judgment will ;hang over your head'. The homeowners may also be able to place holds against any other property, equipment, etc. that you own. Sounds like you need solid legal advice and the sooner the better. Replacement of a furnace requires 'permiting' & 'inspection' by Licensed Code Enforcement Officials/Inspectors - that's probably how/why your 'illegal' plumbing was caught. In construction there are many health, safty, & fire issues for not only the 'suckers' who buy but also for the community at large. If you are going to 'flip' it is wise (& ethical) to 'sub' out work you are not qualified to perform. And responsible business sense to have insurance. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

qb	you need to consult a real estate lawyer in your state. it all depends on what your duties to disclose were according to your state law. good luck Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

(:P)	I agree. The house passed inspection and you sold it. The buyers own the home. It's their problem. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No