They paid on the last possible day for a response. Then they're emailing me asking if I've received the money and asked to have the case discharged with no expenses due or by either party. I ignored this email. So they sent it again. I ignored it. By the way, I had asked the court to discharge the case with no expenses but they ignored my emails to I ignored theirs. Then they called and I didn't know it was them so I answered and was just really rude to them, as they were rude to me. But again, a deeply apologetic phone call.
There's another joker who thinks that they can push the Baron around. Typically, my fees are split between the parties but in this particular case, the court ordered that one party pay the entire expenses for that day's court action.
So I send an invoice for the full amount to this guy and say that it's my understanding that the fees aren't split.
Three months later, I finally get a response. His secretary calls me and asks why they got a bill for the total instead of just half. So I explained what happened in court. She said she's tell the solicitor.
She gets back to me and says that the solicitor says it should be split. So I say, "No problem. I'll send you a new bill for a split total, you get your half directly from the other side, and pay me the total."
"Wait...so...we still pay you the total?"
"Yes, but you're getting half from the other side so you're only out of pocket for half."
"I...guess that will be okay."
"Of course. Had you flagged this up three months ago, I could have asked the other side if they're responsible for paying. But now it's so late, I don't know these people, and frankly, I don't think that they owe the money. And you're solicitors. If you think that they owe the money, you should be able to ask them."
"Okay then."
I then send a new invoice for half the money, explain that they should get their half directly, and to pay me the total. I reiterate the reasons why, including that I don't think that the other side owes any money.
No response.
A few days later, I get a cheque in the mail. "Enclosed is payment for our half of the bill".
No, that's not happening. So I call them. Explain this whole thing again. "He's actually out of the office right now but he'll call you hack."
Of course he doesn't.
So I call a couple hours later.
"So is he back from court yet?"
"Yes but...I think he's with a client now."
"Okay, no problem. Can you tell me who the other party was in this case, though?"
"Yes...I'll ask him and get back to you."
In the meantime, I call the court. I ask for the judgement on this day in regards to payment. It takes a little while to look it up but she found it. She confirms that it was ordered that this guy pay for the entire costs of that day's case, including my fee. I ask if she can send that judgement to me and she says that she can.
So I call these solicitors back.
"Still with the client, I take it?"
"Yes but I got the information about the other party. (Gives information)"
"Great. By the way, I should say that I called the court, they looked at the judgement for that day, and they've confirmed that you're responsible for the entire costs for that day."
(literally a 10 second pause...I thought that she hung up)
"Okay. I'll tell him that."
"Yeah. You know, it could just be that he forgot. Thanks."
As soon as I get that judgement, I'm emailing it over and giving that sack of shit 2 weeks to pay up or I'm filing a claim in the courts. He knows that he's responsible for the entire costs. That's why he doesn't want to ask the other side himself.
He's going to have to pay for the court filing charge. Interest. And if by some bizarre set of circumstances he actually decides to defend this, he has to pay my travel costs (this place is way out there) and my loss of earnings for the day. So £250 becomes £1000. He'd be a complete imbecile to do this.
I mean...I have a judgement from the court saying that he's responsible for payment. What better proof can you have? Fuck this guy. Nothing but scumbags in this profession.
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