The saga continues. From WYMT:
The saga of former disability attorney Eric C Conn continues as U.S. Marshalls began the process of seizing the property where his offices are located in Stanville.
Marshalls say they came to change the locks and to secure thousands of Conn clients medical files. Prestonsburg attorney Ned Pillersdorf who represents many of those clients says more than just files were found when U.S. Marshals went inside.
"He also advised me that once he got there he encountered some squatters who apparently were living in the office," said Pillersdorf. ...
"The Department of Justice has asked Janet [Stumbo, Pillersdorf's wife, a former Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge] to put in an application to be appointed the receiver," said Pillersdorf. "They gave her keys to the office so that she could see what was in there. So she could formulate her proposal." ...In other Conn case news, I haven't heard anything yet from Social Security about allowing me to participate in hearings by video but others are hearing that the agency is telling Administrative Law Judges to allow this.
How does a lawyer appear remotely by video, at a hearing? Does the lawyer need to have his own video conferencing equipment, or is the local OHO office supposed to allow the lawyer access to their equipment?
ReplyDeleteSocial Security's IT people set up a "bridge" something or other that allows a 3-way videoconference on their secure network. I just had one today, and the technology works fairly well once they get it started.
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting the local OHO management folks to help you. If they are not an attorney they are virtually useless.
ReplyDeleteA Representative can appear in another OHO by video. There are also a few Field Offices with equipment but they are often reluctant to set up for a single hearing vs a longer docket. If you're representing several individuals ask if this is an option with the ALJ's scheduler.
ReplyDeleteThere are usually 1 or 2 employees in an OHO who can coordinate the appearance as long as the ALJ hearing the case agrees.
Be aware that if there's a video opt out on the file you need to get the claimant to agree to rescind this in writing.
Wasn’t the technological and practical hurdles , that would allow these kind hearted attorneys to appear remotely, solved about 1997?
ReplyDeleteNext thing you know they are going to be showing talkies at the theater.
I have a standing order to not allow a rep to appear by video - but I would allow it for this, for sure.
ReplyDelete