Opinion ID: 1824918
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The C.S. Incident

Text: C.S. sought legal advice from several attorneys regarding reduction of his child support payments. He was told by those attorneys that his chances of getting his payments reduced were slim to none. Subsequent to obtaining that advice, he contacted the Clinic, and Schramek told him that, based on the statutory child support guidelines, he thought C.S. had a good chance of having his child support reduced. C.S. then told Schramek to do what was necessary to have his child support payments reduced. Schramek prepared all papers filed by C.S., including a motion for modification and a motion for a nonjury trial. Additionally, Schramek told C.S. what to take with him and what to do and say at the hearing. In the motion for modification, Schramek included the statutory child support guidelines as a basis for reducing C.S.'s child support. Contrary to Schramek's assertion, the statute governing the child support guidelines specifically states that the guidelines cannot be used as a basis for reducing child support payments. § 61.30(1)(b)1., Fla. Stat. (1989). The motion for child support modification and request for nonjury trial, as drafted, are not included within the forms contained in either the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure or this Court's Approved Simplified Forms for use in family court proceedings. See Rules Regulating The Fla. Bar  Approval of Forms, 581 So.2d 902 (Fla. 1991). At the hearing on C.S.'s motion, the judge declined to reduce C.S.'s child support payments and ordered C.S. to pay one-third of his former wife's attorney's fees. After the hearing, Schramek told C.S. that he had thirty days in which to file a notice of appeal and that he would be happy to prepare C.S.'s appeal papers. Schramek, in the Clinic's invoice statement, attempted to secure a waiver, disclaimer or limitation of liability regarding his assistance to C.S. [1] On these facts, the referee found that Schramek had given legal advice to C.S. regarding the effect of Florida's child support guidelines, the procedure for obtaining a reduction in child support payments, the child support hearing, and C.S.'s appeal rights, including available remedies and possible courses of action. The referee additionally found that portions of that advice were incorrect and that C.S., relying on Schramek's incorrect legal advice, was harmed because he was required to pay a portion of his former wife's attorneys' fees in addition to the fee he paid to the Clinic.