Tuttle Family Law & Mediation

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/15) */
This letter is written in response to the above-entitled complaint of Ms.***
I have been appointed by the Scott County District Court to act as a Parenting Consultant for Ms*** and her ex-husbandThe parties both agreed to
this process and signed the Stipulation and Order to Appoint Parenting Consultant/Coordinator filed by Le Sueur County Court on August 18, under Court File No40-FA-12-This file is public record and the Order is attached
I am also attaching a copy of the Parenting Consultant Agreement signed by Ms*** on August 2, and her ex-husband (signed August 7, 2014) which explicitly states 1) my hourly billing rate, 2) how often the parties shall be billed, 3) that the parties may be required to replenish the retainer with written notice, 4) how to terminate the Parenting Consultant process, and 5) the length of the Parenting Consultant's contract
Again, Ms*** agreed to the Parenting Consultant process by not only signing the Stipulation and Order to Appoint Parenting Consultant/Coordinator, but also by signing the Parenting Consultant AgreementShe has requested my assistance in regard to numerous issuesI have found in favor of both parties on separate occasionsI am attaching my most recent decision
I have provided to the parties monthly itemized billing statements since the beginning of this matter in July of I have requested on several occasions that both parties replenish my trust account in equal amounts because they continue to have a highly contentious relationship which has include a no contact order between the partiesWe do not "bill in advance" as Ms*** indicates in her complaintThe funds provided by the parties are held in a trust account and only paid to our general account as they are earnedI have attached the Client Ledger indicating that both parties have made equal retainer payments
The Parenting Consultant Agreement outlines a process for the parties to appeal my decisions (see #4) as does the Order (XII.) To date Ms*** has not appealed any of my decisionsShe has continued to present me with additional issuesIf both the parties agree to terminate my contract they can do so, however the contract specifically states, and Ms*** underlined on her signature page, "the Parenting Consultant process shall not terminate by the unilateral decision of only one party."
Ms*** filed her complaint on the day that my assistant emailed the current monthly statement to her and her ex-husband along with a request for the parties to replenish their retainerI understand that the parties have both expended a large amount of money in this processThis has had more to do with their contentious relationship than me "stretching out" decisionsWhile she states in her complaint that I have refused to meet with her, I have met with Ms*** on numerous occasions and invited her to provide to me a written reply to my decisionsIt is also her right to appeal my decisions with the Court, which, again, she has not done
In conclusion, I feel that this complaint by Ms*** is intended as a way for her to undermine the Parenting Consultant process and cancel the contract without the permission of her ex-husbandThere is already a process in place for Ms*** to deal with her issues with the process and this is not itI feel that I have maintained my neutrality in this process, followed the Court's order, and accurately billed per the contract
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me
Very truly yours,
TUTTLE FAMILY LAW & MEDIATION, P.A
*** Tuttle
Attorney at Law
***@tbattys.com
CC: *** ***, Todd ***, Benjamin *** and Adam ***
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/06/23) */
Dear Sir or Madam;
I am responding to *** Tuttle's emailI am not an attorney but I will do the best I can to present the facts as to why I think she is charging me incessantly and is not being fair and impartial
When I signed her contract I had no idea that her charging would get so out of handThe 'school decision' promised for January was delivered in May, all the while charging for a decision not based on the chosen school's merits but her very obvious dislike of meAnyone reading her 'decisions' sees that it is very apparent she has a dislike for me and is not unbiased as she should beHer decision given in November was full of things that were not trueI tried to meet with her to correct some of the things she wrote but could not even get in to meet with her until JanuaryWhen I brought up misstatements/untruths she laughed and said, "Oh ***, you're reading too much into it!"
In my initial visit (she has only met with me twice and has met with my ex-husband four times) she told me up front, "I have a lot of powerI am like your personal attorneyI have yet to have a judge disagree with any of my decisions!" This is why she wants me to take her to courtShe knows I have no chance of winning over her as she is an attorneyShe also knows I cannot afford to do it
I earn $13,a yearSince August I have paid her $3,(as has my ex-husband) and now she wants another $1,from each of us$of that is for work she has not even done yetI feel she knows I am powerless to change a judge's order so she is taking advantage of a low-income personShe also sent a copy of her email to you to my attorney who handled the divorce so as to further increase my expenseHer charges are approximately $486.88/month for meI cannot afford this
Her contract states "The parenting consultant shall first work with the parties to attempt to reach resolution by agreement." I have asked that she meet with my ex-husband and me in her office to save significant amounts of moneyShe refusesShe has made it nearly impossible for my ex-husband and me to try to resolve issues on our ownShe extended a restraining order that was to expire in a few weeks through the end of this year to make it harder for us to communicate/make peaceShe says the relationship is too "contentious"I have tried to make peace and want peace and have emails to prove this fact
I have tried to let MsTuttle know of all the errors in her latest 'decision' but she refuses to meet with meI have attached emails showing thisShe wants me to email herThere are close to issues I have with her decisionThese need to be discussed
At her request in the past I have emailed concernsThey have either not been acknowledged or forwarded to my ex-husband instead of being addressed by herA lot of these were safety concerns and I got a nasty email back from my ex-husband of which MsTuttle said nothing
She is definitely not maintaining neutralityShe said she always copies the other parent on emails if she responds to an emailThere are emails she sent Todd (my ex-husband) that I have been billed for and even after requesting copies have not received
Issues that I attempted to correct in her decision of November appeared again in her May decisionShe does not seek to get my side of the story before writing decisions that affect me and my reputation but seemingly seeks to destroy me financially and personally
In the Stipulation and order to appoint Parent Consultant Coordinator filed 8-18-14, it states "Both parties shall participate in the dispute resolution process defined by the PC and governed by Minnesota Rules of Practice, Rule in accordance with the principles of due processThe process will include, at a minimum, the opportunity for each to express his or her opinion."
She claims to have met with me on numerous occasionsShe has met with me 8-29-and 1-6-She has met with my ex-husband 8-29-14, 9-25-14, 1-27-and 3-25-
She has charged me for searching for therapists for my sonI called all three that she 'researched.' None of them were availableNow she wants to charge more money to keep searchingThere are two therapists in my home town that she will not consider because she thinks they are somehow on my side(Again without talking with me about it.) Also the school that my son will attend kindergarten at this fall has a counselor with high qualifications and he would be able to see her right at school- No extra money spentShe is assigning me to pay all the school tuition and my ex-husband none because he may have 'after school child care expenses' that I may as well haveImpartial? Neutrality?
Besides MsTuttle I am billed by her daughter at $for answering the phone and sending emailsShe is considered her 'para.' Could she not hire a secretary at a much lower wage to answer phones? Her daughter "Abbie" has been sarcastic when I callShe cuts me off and says "Send her (her mother) an email with your concerns." I told her "I have and she doesn't reply to them." To this she replied "I cannot give advice - you will have to retain an attorney." I have a stack of emails MsTuttle has not answered and at this point she has proved to me that she will not be fair
MsTuttle has not promoted communication with my son when he is awayThis is something the judge desired, and it is also mentioned in her brochures in her front officeI have been pleading for communication since last fall and all she says is "baby steps, ***." Right now she has a 60-day trial in place where my son can call (if he wishes) Sunday nights from 7-p.mAt one point she agreed that parents can use different methods to get children to make that phone call and that it's just part of learning respect but now she sides with my ex-husband and says that if he chooses not to call it's OKRight now my son is on vacation with my ex-husband and I have no communication for days! My son is and this is not healthy for him or me
She has also cut off communication with people who are mutual friends/relatives/pastorsHow is this promoting healing and peace? This makes creates more division/contention, which she in turn says there is too much of!
I have four grown children who are very successful and am being treated by MsTuttle as if I am a horrible, inexperienced parent
She charges $if asked to go to courtThere is no way I can afford this, plus my attorney's costs, plus court feesMsTuttle knows she is not being fair but also knows I cannot afford to take her to courtBesides, she knows I have little chance of winningIn her words; "I have yet to have a judge disagree with any of my decisions."
This is why I am so sincerely appealing to you for help
I have included copies of emails to support my concernsThe file was too big to send in email so you will receive them in multiple emailsThere are scans in allPlease let me know if you do not receive them all
Thank you so much for whatever help you can provide
Sincerely,
*** ***
***
Final Business Response /* (1000, 12, 2015/07/06) */
Contact Name and Title: *** Tuttle, Esq
Contact Phone: ***
Contact Email: ***@tbattys.com
July 6,
Revdex.com of Minnesota and North Dakota
SRiver Ridge Circle
Burnsville, MN
Re: Case # ***:***
Dear Sir or Madam:
This letter is written in response to the above-entitled complaint of Ms.***
I am in receipt of Ms***'s response to my responsive submissionsMs*** now brings up new issuesI maintain that I have remained neutral in my decisionsThere is a process in place for Ms*** to address her concerns, however she has failed to follow that process
Ms*** alleges in her response that I sent a copy of my responsive submissions to her attorney to cause her additional feesI did not charge Ms*** for preparation of my submission, nor for the transmittal to her attorneyI provided a copy of my response to all the parties involved in this matter so that they are aware that Ms*** has brought this action against meMs*** has already submitted a copy of the June statement
I would ask that Ms***'s complaint be dismissed and this matter be closed
Very truly yours,
TUTTLE FAMILY LAW & MEDIATION, P.A
*** Tuttle
Attorney at Law
***@tbattys.com
AHT/atm
Enclosures
CC: *** ***
Todd ***
Benjamin ***, Esq
Adam ***, Esq
Final Consumer Response /* (3000, 14, 2015/07/09) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I disagree that she is neutralAttached please find another example that I think shows her lack of neutralityMy ex-husband uses very demeaning language and sent her a copy and again she allows it and says nothingMs Tuttle claims not to be driving up my expenses, but had I not called my attorney and asked him not to read her letters, he would have had to bill me both times for reading what she wroteI maintain that I cannot afford to take her to courtShe knows this and also knows I cannot fight her as she is an attorney and will win
I plead for your help in this desperate situation
Thank you,
*** ***