CANT BELIEVE THE SOLICITOR LETTER IVE JUST RECEIVED

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Im posting this message and hope when i check later that someone can explain wots going on please.

my ex has a court case going for contact with my ds. we have court in april and a report being completed by cafcass by early may.i received legal aid.

ive just received a letter from my solicitor that basically i read as a blackmail! they are stating that i have to start contact at a contact centre on 4th March or my public funding could cease! its actually worded "if it is deemed that your case is being run unreasonably then it will not be appropriate for your Funding Certificate to continue".

i am shocked, perhaps this is normal, does this mean i have to take my ds to the centre when nothing is arranged through the courts ie:length of visit, frequency of visits.

my ds is only 15months so i obviously just cant dump him there with someone he doesnt even know. this is really upsetting, i just cant believe they can put you in a position like this. either allow the contact or lose your public funding.

Well, I know of Days and Berry & Berry who have legal aid franchises. There is another, but the name escapes me. Of those two, I would recommend the latter.

thanks freckle, mine wasnt either of them, handy to know the legal aid ones. im gona post this letter to them monday and await a reply. my mate is gona help me do the statement for court and if need be she'l come to court with me and i'l do without a solicitor if i can, ive found them nothing but hassle to be honest.

trying to find out if theres a contact centre open in the afternoons as i have to take my other son to footie on sat morns and the courts prob wont take that into account i wouldnt have thought.thanks

it is worth mentioning the football 7s, courts do take other children into account. it might be useful to find a solicitor, even if its just so they can give you advice on when things need to be filed at court etc, but dont worry if you dont have one to go to court with. i went to court on my own and was fine, the judge was very understanding and took stuff very slowly for my benefit. i did have my statement checked over by a solicitor, it might be helpful to know how courts expect things to be done as judges dont like reading waffle etc. i can dig mine out if you want some pointers, my email is debsdillybob @ fsmail . net (without spaces). will help if i can. you may also want to find one if there is a final hearing as barristers can sometimes be called in, but you have a good while before then anyway

well done you for writing the letter, solicitors can be intimidating but i do think you are doing the right thing. dont forget to take her letter admitting she forgot to give you the court date next time you are in court!

hi gigglegobblin, ive got an old statement that the ex wrote last year and was never needed and my sols sent to me by accident!its handy coz its given me an idea of how to set it out, wot to put in etc. ive only got to include from when contact broke down which was 2wks before xmas so shouldnt have to write too much.

we pointed out in one of the paragraphs of the letter that the courts, legal aid and his solicitors should be informed that it was due to her negligence that i wasnt able to attend the court date. dont know what i would have done without mumsnet today, i was straight on here as soon as i received the letter and would normally have burst into tears, i didnt have to because of the advice ive been given on here and just to know that other 'invisible' people are so supportive.