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Hi
I have been involved in a family law court case and costs were awarded to me. I was represented by a firm of solicitors at the time and I asked them to to arrange to get the costs back. Unfortunately they have taken over a year and don't appear to have done anything much and are now asking me for £600 more to recover the costs, plus possibly more for getting an outside costs draftsman instructed.
I really want to know whether I can just kick them into touch and represent myself now to get the costs back as I don't want to pay them another penny after how I have been treated by them this past year. I have searched the internet and all that appears to come up is adverts for law firms to recover costs and the gov.uk website section, that just states you can apply for a detailed assessment if you cannot agree with the other party what you should get.
Is there a specific course I should partake initially or should I just write to the other party's solicitors and advise I am representing myself with regards to the costs and provide them with the court order and the invoices from my previous solicitors and ask for them to pay the costs?
I know the estimation is that you should generally get back between 2/3 and 3/4 of the costs and I am not sure whether I should just start by asking for the full amount and see what they offer? If it has to go to court again and I need to get a bill of costs and the form for the detailed assessment sent off I am hopeful that the judge will look favourably on my claim for costs as the other party had multiple findings made against them for wilfully and intentionally misleading the court and was warned by the judge that they were almost at the limit where they could be found in contempt of court. So I think that with that in mind the other party's solicitors may not wish to go back to court again.
Any advice would be gratefully received.
I have been involved in a family law court case and costs were awarded to me. I was represented by a firm of solicitors at the time and I asked them to to arrange to get the costs back. Unfortunately they have taken over a year and don't appear to have done anything much and are now asking me for £600 more to recover the costs, plus possibly more for getting an outside costs draftsman instructed.
I really want to know whether I can just kick them into touch and represent myself now to get the costs back as I don't want to pay them another penny after how I have been treated by them this past year. I have searched the internet and all that appears to come up is adverts for law firms to recover costs and the gov.uk website section, that just states you can apply for a detailed assessment if you cannot agree with the other party what you should get.
Is there a specific course I should partake initially or should I just write to the other party's solicitors and advise I am representing myself with regards to the costs and provide them with the court order and the invoices from my previous solicitors and ask for them to pay the costs?
I know the estimation is that you should generally get back between 2/3 and 3/4 of the costs and I am not sure whether I should just start by asking for the full amount and see what they offer? If it has to go to court again and I need to get a bill of costs and the form for the detailed assessment sent off I am hopeful that the judge will look favourably on my claim for costs as the other party had multiple findings made against them for wilfully and intentionally misleading the court and was warned by the judge that they were almost at the limit where they could be found in contempt of court. So I think that with that in mind the other party's solicitors may not wish to go back to court again.
Any advice would be gratefully received.
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