Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Can someone explain why I’ve been told not to attend my court case?

32 replies

Ella2001 · 22/06/2024 13:44

Hi everyone , I appreciate this isn’t an “Aibu” topic but im posting here in hopes that il get more of a response . my solicitor is a nightmare to get a hold of and I’m left in the dark about it all , to cut a long story short
i have a solicitor due to my child’s father and his mother threatening to get a solicitor on me because he wanted 50/50 only because he didn’t want to pay child maintenance. I told him no due to him smoking weed around the child , taking her to his friends house so they can smoke in his kitchen (she was in the pram) and his mum doing unsafe sleeping .
anyway so my solicitor has put in for a residency order and had to attend court on 31st may. To then be told that the case was adjourned due to my child’s father not having his legal aid sorted .
the court case is now on Monday and I’ve been told I don’t have to attend ? Why don’t I if it’s my case and they asked me to come before it was adjourned ?
he now can’t afford his solicitor so has been left to represent him self , he said he has to attend , so why don’t I ?
he’s admitted to still smoking even tho he told me he stopped , he has started again and is willing to do hair follicle test, he knows he can have supervised visits with me and continue to smoke and not have the responsibility of looking after her , he’s now agreeing to the residency order so why does he still need to go to court ? I’m so confused by it all… if he’s agreeing to the residency order why does he need to represent him self ? Would it be because of the weed and him not being able to have her unsupervised?
hes only recently been in contact again, he stopped contact and didn’t see her from 3 months old to 7 months . Yes she was only 2 months when smoking around her
any advice is really appreciated right now.

OP posts:
AGlinnerOfHope · 22/06/2024 14:05

So you'd better go in case he changes his mind.

He will be there and able to say whatever he likes in that moment.

I would suggest you should be too.

Also, it will help to have something official in place in case he agrees things informally then changes his mind.

Ella2001 · 22/06/2024 14:02

i thought that was the case , just feels wrong that I won’t know anything until after (if my solicitor decides she wants to actually contact me 🙄) they never gave me a time or anything so I think Il just have to sit tight !
it’s a nightmare , I don’t understand why he has to go now if he’s in an agreement to the order

OP posts:
fieldsofbutterflies · 22/06/2024 13:59

Presumably he has to attend because he's self-representing, whereas you're not, you have a solicitor to do it for you.

It's not saying you can't go, just that you don't need to.

ShouldhavebeencalledAppollo · 22/06/2024 13:58

If he is self representing he has to go.

You can, but don’t have to go.

KrisAkabusi · 22/06/2024 13:56

You haven't been told not to attend, just that you don't have to. Your solicitor can represent you, thats his job.

Ella2001 · 22/06/2024 13:53

CassandraWebb · 22/06/2024 13:51

I dont know, and it's remiss of your solicitor not to explain better, but it your ex is agreeing then possibly you don't need to attend because they will just be formalising the court order? So it will just be procedural.

However I am sure they won't mind you going if you wish to

That makes sense but I’m wondering why he was asked to go and not me if it’s my residency order .
I know solicitors are so busy and have other cases but it’s so frustrating being left in the dark and not knowing !

OP posts:
CassandraWebb · 22/06/2024 13:51

I dont know, and it's remiss of your solicitor not to explain better, but it your ex is agreeing then possibly you don't need to attend because they will just be formalising the court order? So it will just be procedural.

However I am sure they won't mind you going if you wish to