Opinion ID: 430483
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Superior Court Proceeding

Text: 10 David Sitomer, an individual attorney-appellant in this case, as the appointed attorney for parents in two neglect proceedings, filed a motion in superior court seeking administrative relief and compensation for services. He alleged that his uncompensated appointment as parents' counsel in many neglect proceedings was confiscatory and an unconstitutional taking of his property without just compensation. See In the Matters of N.P. and L.W., Nos. 404-79, 418-79 (D.C.Super.Ct. June 14, 1982). Superior Court Judge Block ordered Sitomer to present evidence on how the appointment system in neglect cases actually worked and what its effect on appointed lawyers was. Judge Block also denied petitions to intervene in the proceeding filed by thirteen other lawyers, including the two individual appellants in this case, and by Sitomer in his capacity as President of the Family Division Trial Lawyers Association. Addressing Sitomer's individual claim, the court concluded that it simply cannot be said that Mr. Sitomer's neglect caseload was so excessively burdensome that he was compelled to foresake his regular law practice. Likewise the evidence relating more generally to the practices of the Family Division does not reveal a system so noxious as to violate Mr. Sitomer's constitutional rights. Id. at 3-4. Although Judge Block found no violation of Sitomer's constitutional rights, he did find the practice by which counsel for parties in neglect cases is appointed was inadequate and unfair in several respects: 11 While it is obvious that this practice has been bureaucratically expedient, it is just as clear that it has insured neither the delivery of the appropriate level of representation to all parties in neglect actions nor equitably distributed the burdens of pro bono representations among those attorneys who practice before the Family Division. Accordingly, the neglect appointment list should be expanded beyond its present scope. 12 Id. at 5. 13 Initially, Sitomer appealed the superior court decision denying him relief, but later voluntarily abandoned that appeal claiming he could not afford a transcript and other costs of the appeal. The other appellants appealed the district court's denial of intervention but they too abandoned their appeals claiming insufficient funds to cover court costs. See Order Dismissing Appeals, In re N.P., Jr., No. 82-908 (D.C.Ct.App. Aug. 14, 1983); Motion to Withdraw Appeal, In re N.P., Jr., No. 82-908 (D.C.Ct.App. June 15, 1983).