Ms. Turnage is opposing counsel in a lawsuit where I am the plaintiff. I will state right off that my opinion is biased since she is opposing counsel. However, as a legal secretary with over 15 years cumulative experience working for large, mid-size and single attorney firms, I have been fortunate to have never dealt with an attorney or firm that would stoop to her level. She is an embarrassment to her profession and the reason why people don't trust attorneys.

Throughout the inception of my case that was filed in September, 2010, Ms. Turnage has many several bald-face lies (in writing) as well statements that will not hold water.

The crux of my complaint concerns a breach over a written notarized real estate agreement that my mother drafted. My mother was a former legal secretary who died suddenly from liver and pancreatic cancer in 2006. If this isn't bad enough defendants are my immediate family. The Agreement is a gifting from parents to children (namely property). However, where I am concerned, I am to receive a specified some of money for 17 years. Also, per the terms of the Agreement there is nothing I must do in order to receive the monthly payments of $850.51. From 2003 through December, 2008, my father performed under the agreement. Each month like clockwork after paying my association dues, I was sent whatever monies remained from the $850.51. Suddenly and without ever having provided me with an explanation my father ignored the statements. After a year in which I tried to resolve the issue on my own, I was forced to file a lawsuit against my family after my condo went into foreclosure.

One of many of Ms. Turnage's bald-face lies is when she writes in defendants form interrogatories, that there were two "verbal" agreements to modify the written agreement. One of the parties to the "verbal" agreement, my mother, is dead. I cannot tell you how much it angers me that she brings my mother's name into the mix. My mother was one of the most honest and spiritual people I know. She never would have entered into a verbal agreement without first discussing it with me especially when I affected by the outcome. On a secondary note as a legal secretary she knows better than to enter into an oral agreement.

Ms. Turnage has done everything possible to delay the progression of this case. Considering that my complaint was filed over nine months ago, both parties should have entered discovery three months after my complaint was filed. Rather than file an answer she filed one demurrer after the next for a total of three demurrers. After Defendants' filed their third demurrer to my Second Amended Complaint the presiding judge sustained defendants' second and third causes of action without leave to amend and overruled their demurrer to the first cause of action for breach of written contract. He ordered defendants' to answer the complaint by no later than June 28. Instead of seeing this as a victory for her clients less than 24 hours before the scheduled hearing on defendants demurrer was scheduled to take place, she contacted my attorneys to notify them that she was contesting the tentative ruling. While you may think this is no big deal, her office is located within a 10-minute drive from the Hayward courthouse whereas my attorneys must drive across the Bay from Burlingame to Hayward. Considering that the hearing was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. this meant their commute would take 1 1/2 hours. The following morning my attorney sent me an e-mail of a statement he had prepared and intended on making before the court. He spent several hours conducting research and case law on top of drafting the statement. Literally 1 1/2 hours before the hearing, Ms. Turnage contacted my attorneys to say she had changed her mind and was no longer contesting the tentative ruling. While relieved I had mixed feelings for I would ultimately be responsible for the time my attorney spent preparing for the hearing. A fair guesstimate would be $1, 500 to $2, 000.

The day after the hearing was scheduled to take place on a hunch I contacted the clerk of the court to inquire as to whether or not Ms. Turnage had notified the court of her intention to contest the tentative ruling. I spoke with the clerk of the department directly. Without a moments hesitation she responded that no one from her office had called to contest the tentative ruling and/or that they were no longer opposing the TR. What this means is that it is questionable as to whether or not her office intended to contest the ruling. If she did, then the first call should have been made to the court. Is it fair that I should be held accountable for her actions. I don't have that money to burn. I am barely keeping afloat, facing foreclosure and have sold most of my possessions of value to eat and keep up with my mortgage payments.

Finally, in addition to the fiasco of this past week, if that wasn't bad enough, Turnage filed on behalf of defendants, their CMC Statement. On page 2 she writes that one of c0-defendants was dismissed from the action by demurrer. No where in any of defendants three demurrers, the tentative ruling or in the minutes does it indicate that any of the defendants were dismissed by demurrer. The only way to dismiss a party to an action is by way of filing a dismissal. Even as a legal secretary I know that. Obviously Ms. Turnage thinks she can create her own set of local rules. This woman is the perfect example of a bad attorney. Just take a look at the photo on her website. The first thought that entered my mind was "alcoholic".

Ms. Turnage knows no boundaries nor ethics. To show just how serious I am in April of this year I filed a formal complaint against Ms. Turnage with the State Bar of CA. While the wheels of justice turn slowly, I am confident that after the State Bar concludes its investigation that they will have proven all of my allegations.

Stay far far away from this attorney. If you don't you may find yourself in trouble.