Dear Clients,
In an effort to address the problems encountered over the last 14 years, we have developed some POLICIES to catch problems in advance, and make operations smoother than in the past where possible. All clients should read these notices, and check periodically for updates. These POLICES may be made part of the fee agreement by specific reference and incorporation.
POLICIES of LAW OFFICE OF CHRISTOPHER DORT (Revised for 2017)
Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions.
All criminal and traffic court clients are advised as follows: If you are not a US Citizen, you should assume that any criminal conviction or theft infraction can result in denial of citizenship, denial of entry into the US, denial of permanent residency and/or deportation from the US. The Law Office of Christopher Dort DOES NOT PROVIDE advice on immigration issues, or on the specific immigration consequences of your case. For questions about the specific effect of a conviction, you must contact a licensed immigration attorney. Attorney Christopher Dort recommends that clients contact the Law Office of Heather L Poole and/or other competent and licensed immigration attorneys for specific advice on immigration issues.
Current Address and Contact Info Required for All Clients
All notices and communications we have for clients are sent to the contact info we have on file for them. Clients are required to keep us informed of their current address and telephone number at all times. If your address changes, notify us within 10 days to avoid problems. We do not accept change of address notifications over the phone. Notices of Change of address can be sent via mail or email at info(at)dortlaw.com. Clients must agree to hold this office and Attorney Christopher Dort harmless for any problem that arises out of a failure of a Client to notify this office in writing of a change in address.
Secure Client Portal Available Upon Request.
As of August 2016, Law Office of Christopher Dort uses an online client communication tool that encrypts attorney / client communications and keeps client updated in a more secure fashion that traditional email. This service is available as an "opt in" only feature for our clients.
Fee Agreements Required.
Attorney Christopher Dort does not accept any Clients or legal work for hire involving an amount over $1000 without Client's Acceptance of a written fee agreement. Fee Agreements involving less than $3000 may be completed on-line by agreements of the parties. Unless specifically listed in the Fee Agreement, Fee Agreements Do Not Include Work on Appeals or Jury Trials.
No Guarantee of Any Result on a Court Case.
Because of the nature of courts and evidence, it is impossible for an Attorney to accurately, reliably predict the result of any court case. Although Attorney Christopher Dort may describe what he believes can happen in a case, there are no guarantees of results in any court case form this office.
Legal Fees Are Not Refundable Except When Required by Law or State Bar Regulation.
Requests for refunds are considered, but in general refunds are not available. No guarantees are made about the outcome of your case or matter. Consumers who have a fee dispute with a California Attorney have the right to fee dispute arbitration per CA State Bar Rules, and they may bring actions in civil court if needed. All of our legal fees are non refundable unless otherwise stated in a fee agreement or unless required by law or state bar regulation.
Email Communications Preferred.
This office seeks to limit its pollution and use of paper, and to limit delays caused by the transportation of paper. Therefore, we accept communications by email to info(at)dortlaw.com, and we encourage clients to use that medium of communication when possible. Communications by paper mail may result in delay.
No File Maintenance After 5 Years.
We keep closed files for no more than 5 years and six months unless a longer period is required by law. Files closed prior to June 1, 2006 are no longer maintained. All clients may request a copy of their file. To request a copy of your file, send your request in writing by mail or email to cdort(at)dortlaw.com. Most files are not paper files, but rather digital data. If a client does not request a copy of their file within 5 years of closing, we will assume the file may be destroyed.
No Documents Kept After 10 Years.
We strive to destroy all old files and documents after 10 years.
Referral Fees.
We do not pay or receive referral fees except by written agreement when allowed by law.
Errors & Omissions Policy, Malpractice Claims Insurance.
Unless otherwise stated in writing, all Clients and Potential Clients should assume that this attorney does not carry an insurance policy to cover your specific case, legal matter, legal services, or legal service fee agreement.