Opinion ID: 1925563
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Motion to Disqualify Nebraska Legal Services

Text: On April 12, 2000, Mark filed a motion to show cause why counsel for Katrina, Nebraska Legal Services (hereinafter NLS), should not be forced to withdraw. On May 1, Katrina filed a motion requesting sanctions against counsel for Mark. Essentially, Katrina argued that Mark's motion to require NLS to withdraw was frivolous and without a rational basis in law. By journal entry, dated May 2, the trial court overruled both motions. On appeal, Mark argues that the trial court abused its discretion in overruling his motion to require NLS to withdraw. Mark's argument is not entirely clear as to why the trial court's ruling constitutes an abuse of discretion. As best we can determine, Mark is asserting that NLS had a conflict of interest in representing Katrina and that therefore, the trial court was required to order NLS to withdraw. Specifically, Mark appears to argue that Katrina was not indigent and, knowing Katrina's true financial status, NLS conspired with Katrina to allege that Mark committed acts of domestic violence in an effort to provide Katrina with free legal services and to obtain fee recoupment from government sources. [12, 13] Even if we assume for argument's sake that Mark's factual allegations properly assert a conflict of interest, this assignment is not proper for our review. We have often stated that an appellate action is an inadequate means of presenting attorney conflicts of interest for review. Centra, Inc. v. Chandler Ins. Co., 248 Neb. 844, 540 N.W.2d 318 (1995), citing State ex rel. Freezer Servs., Inc. v. Mullen, 235 Neb. 981, 458 N.W.2d 245 (1990). Therefore, we have held that when an appeal from an order denying disqualification of an attorney involves issues collateral to the basic controversy and when an appeal from a judgment dispositive of the entire case would not be likely to protect the client's interests, the party should seek mandamus. See, Trainum v. Sutherland Assocs., 263 Neb. 778, 642 N.W.2d 816 (2002); Centra, Inc., supra . Here, the disqualification issue is collateral to the basic dissolution controversy, and Mark did not seek a peremptory writ of mandamus to review the trial court's denial of his motion to disqualify NLS. We decline to address his claim now. See, Trainum, supra ; Centra, Inc., supra .