Is there a statue of limitations on how long my attorney has to send me a copy of my bill?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is there a statue of limitations on how long my attorney has to send me a copy of my bill?
I hire my divorce attorney 4 years ago and paid a $2,500 retainer. About 2 1/2 years ago my divorce was finalized. I have been requesting a copy of my bill since then. I have called numerous times and have even sent numerous emails over the last 2 years but I have still not received a copy of my bill. I should add that I have a personal injury case that another firm has been handling (over 4 years). I don’t know if she is waiting for my PI case to be resolved or what. I do not have any documentation stating how many hours she worked on my divorce case to even try and figure out a rough estimate of what the total cost would be. I am at my wits end and have run out of ideas on how to obtain a copy of my bill. Is there a statue of limitations on how long she can withhold my bill or is there something else I could do to get the information I need?
Asked on November 27, 2011 under Bankruptcy Law, Illinois
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
There is no statute of limitations directly on how long any service provider has to send a bill. However, a debt evidenced by some retainer or service agreement--including for legal services rendered--is typically not enforceable after the statute of limitations for written contracts has expired. You do not indicate which state you are writing from, and statutes of limitation vary by state; typically, for written contracts, it's 4 - 6 years.
The statutory period runs from when the debt would have been due.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.