Before my client actually shows up. Trigger warning for talking about a neglectful mother and a fair amount of name calling and cursing. But it's not about anyone on the site, so it should be okay to vent, right?



I'm writing an appellate brief in a termination of parental rights case. My client was supposed to come in first thing Friday and sign the brief because in our state, all documents in an appeal in a termination case must be signed by the person terminated. The courts got sick of the parents who SAY they want to appeal, but really are horrible parents, and then they just drop off the earth during the appeal process and we do the whole process for nothing.

Long intro to say that I have worked my butt on this brief because this mother really wasn't THAT bad. She was somewhat neglectful, but there was a bond there with the kid and the kid really wants to come home and a psychologist testified that this woman ISN'T unfit and she loves her kids. [She has a BUNCH of kids, but one child has a grandmother who was willing to come in and file a private child in need of care action to take custody away from the mother.] So, I work long hours, I set up multiple appointments for this woman to come in and sign the brief, including on the weekend, and she never shows and never calls.

So I called my client AGAIN this morning and she said she might come at 1:00 this afternoon. I told her that I was not accepting the blame for the delay AGAIN (I took responsibility for the delay in filing the docketing statement after she blew me off for seven weeks), and I was going to have a motion to file the brief out of time, and the reason for the delay was going to be listed as her failure to come and sign the ****ing thing. Suddenly, after having NO possible way to get to my office, she will be here in half an hour. Cursing isn't even adequate to express my anger and frustration and rage and sadness for this little boy with this stupid ****ing ***** of a mother who cannot roll her fat *** out of bed with her boyfriend long enough to drive to my office and sign this ****ing brief.

Just needed to vent my absolute rage. WHY, if you do not care enough about your kid to even sign a ****ing document to appeal the termination of your rights, would you bother to appeal? Oh, her answer to that? "NO BODY TAKES WHAT'S MINES." THAT IS HER REASON FOR APPEALING!!!

Fingers crossed I don't punch this woman in the face when she shows up in my office.