I hired Ms Williams to do an uncontested divorce with supervised visits in March. I filled out a questionaire provide by Ms. Williams stating my desires for my divorce. I asked if her office could handle a divorce with supervised visits and she stated that they could and that we would take care of it in "Parent Planning".
I payed Advanced Paralegal Solutions over $700 to prepare the paperwork for me and a few days later was called to their office to look over the paperwork they had prepared for any clerical errors. There were, infact several errors in my name and I also noticed that the paperwork did not mention supervised visits. I advised the secretary about the errors and told her that the supervised visits were not on the paperwork but that Ms Williams had advised me we would take care of that in "Parent Planning". The secretary took the paperwork and did not say anything to me.
Within next week, I was again called to her office to pick up the paperwork to have my husband served. My mother served the paperwork to my husband who lives three hours away.
A little over a month later, I was called to Ms. Williams' office to do the finacial portion of the divorce as well as "Parent Planning" for the supervised visits.
In September, I received a phone call from Ms. Williams' office stating that since I had changed my mind about the supervised visits, I would either have to drop the supervised visit petition or pay $75 more to Advanced Paralegal Solutions. I advised the person on the phone that I had not changed my mind and that I was not going to pay anymore for their offices mistake. I was again told to either drop the petition or pay extra.
The next day I made an appointment to see my file. Ms. Williams sat down with me and admitted to me and my father that it was indeed an oversight on her offices part and that there was no way for me to know what was missing on the paperwork and that she would refile the paperwork with no cost to me. About a week later, I was again given paperwork prepared by Advanced Paralegal Services and I drove my mother three hours to serve my husband the paperwork again.
On December 11, (according to Vanessa, Ms. Williams Assistant) Vanessa left a message for me that my divorce was in default and to call them back. I, unfortunately was in the middle of changing phone services and did not receive that message.
Late in February, I called Advance Paralegal to see what was happening with my divorce. Ms. Williams advised me that if I wanted my supervised visits that I would have to appear in fromt of the judge, or I could pay her more money and she would do it for me. I advised her that I was not going to pay her any more money and went to the court to put myself on calendar.
When I got to the window at the courthouse, I was told that I would have to file another form in order to finish my divorce. The woman helping me looked at my case and advised me to go see the court librarian.
I went to the librarian who advised me that my case was in such a mess that I would need to hire an attorney. She stated that she could show me the paperwork needed to fix my divorce but that it would probably be too hard for me.
I called Ms. Williams immediately and was told that she was not available. I left a message for her with her secretary. She never called me back. I called her again later that evening and finally talked to her. I asked her for a letter depicting what her office has done regarding my divorce and what was needed to fix it. She advised me that she was going in for surgery the next Monday and would not return to her office until March 17, but that if I needed information sooner her office would be able to help me.
I went to her office to see my file agian and sat down with Vanessa. Vanessa had trouble finding my file due to the fact that Ms. Williams had closed my file. I advised her of my situation, she stated that when they filed the second set of paperwork, they were unaware of the default, and if it was indeed her office's error that my divorce was not finished, then she would file the paperwork for me at no charge to me.
Unfortunately, Ms. Williams was the only one who had access to the computer that had the necessary paperwork. Vanessa told me that as soon as Ms. Williams returned, that she would have the paperwork filled out for me.
I went on vacation during the week of March 17th, and when I returned, I called Advanced Paralegal Services to talk with Vanessa. I was told by the secretary that Vanessa no longer worked there. I then asked to speak with Ms. Williams. I advised Ms. Williams what Vanessa had told me and Ms. Williams became defensive and told me she didn't care what Vanessa said because Vanessa no longer worked there.
I then asked Ms. Willimas what exactly did I pay her $700 for, she told me that I paid her for a divorce and then I tried to ask her to finish my divorce as promised, but Ms. Willimas would not let me talk. She told me that she would not do any more for me unless I paid her and hung up on me.
I called her right back and she again would not let me talk, she told me that I was talking down to her and that I was "lost" and that I needed "to take my meds". Ms. Williams then hung up on me again.
The next day, I went to her office with a friend to see my file. Again, the secretary had trouble finding my file because Ms. Williams had closed it for the second time without my knowledge.
I looked in my file at the questionaire that I filled out and showed my friend were I marked the supervised visits box. I had my camera there with me and attempted to take a picture of this document, but the secretary advised me that I would have to make an appointment to get any copies of the paperwork.
So I made an appointment to come back later that afternoon. About an hour later, Ms. Williams called me and told me that if I came to my appointment, she would call the police and that she was serving me with restraining orders the following Monday.
On March 28th, I filed a complaint with Better Business Bureau and they mailed her a copy of my complaint. As of today's date, her office has yet to respond. It should also be noted that according to The Better Business Bureau, that Advanced Paralegal Solutions has received four complaints in the last 36 months and that the company has had three different names since opening in 1995.
Tdunehew
Fresno, California
U.S.A.
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