A Devastating Experience in Cobb County Family Court…read more
I hired Justin Wyatt for my family custody case, and it was one of the most damaging decisions I've ever made. If you are considering hiring him, please read my experience first--I urge you to reconsider. I am now working on a formal bar complaint due to his egregious negligence.
Point #1: Gross Negligence with Critical Evidence and Preparation: I provided Mr. Wyatt with a meticulously organized folder of evidence, including documentation of domestic violence, financial records, and messages in which my ex admitted to drug use the night before the trial. None of this was presented in court. Instead, Mr. Wyatt went in unprepared, disregarding essential evidence that was crucial to my case, and left the judge with a distorted view of the facts. He didn't even prepare me for what to expect--there was no trial preparation at all.
Point #2: Total Lack of Communication and Abandonment During Critical Moments: Mr. Wyatt was dismissive and unresponsive prior to the case, I sent him a whole document worth of questions that were never answered. After the hearing, he is still on paper my counsel. Yet he refused to answer or consult me even when the judge instructed him to draft the final order. I was left completely in the dark, having to hear about the final custody order from my abusive ex, who had the details before I did. When I asked Mr. Wyatt what happened and why things went so wrong, he refused to explain, simply directing me to "refer to the transcript," which the court clerk informed me would cost $472.
Point #3: Inexcusable Unprofessionalism and Failure to Protect a Victim of Domestic Violence: The opposing party was my abusive ex, against whom I had an active protective order. Instead of preparing me for trial, Mr. Wyatt spent a significant amount of time chatting with my abuser. He fawned over my ex's career, calling him "amazing," and shockingly, dedicated 75% of the trial to praising my ex rather than defending me. Watching this as a domestic violence survivor was devastating and deeply triggering.
Point #4: Refusal to Advocate That Led to Irreparable Harm: After a horrendous experience in court, I was left in tears, having lost my children to an unfit parent with a history of drug abuse. Mr. Wyatt showed no remorse, merely stating, "I don't know what happened; you acted so ignorant," before rushing off to another meeting. He even texted the wrong number the next day to ask if I was okay, despite his paralegal having my correct contact information. While I was left abandoned, he continued to communicate with my abuser to make sure his attorney fees were paid. Once we lost, and the judge is going over the details he was ready to go so badly that when the judge attempted to give me child support credit on my healthcare expenses for the children, Mr. Wyatt impatiently rushed her, leading her to abandon that offer due to his attitude.
And if you have any doubts, just look at his responses to negative reviews--he's an outright asshole. His responses show his lack of professionalism and basic respect for clients who trusted him with deeply personal, life-altering matters.
This entire ordeal has taken a severe toll on me and my children. My case outcome has left us in a vulnerable, unstable position, and the financial and emotional toll has been devastating. The behavior Mr. Wyatt exhibited was beyond negligent; it was cruel, unprofessional, and harmful.
I have proof of everything I've stated here. If you're considering hiring Justin Wyatt, please think twice. If you have already hired him, fire him immediately--representing yourself would likely be better than having this man in charge of your case. If you need advice or would like help in pursuing a bar complaint, please reach out to me at nellie.mhernandez@gmail.com. I am determined to hold him accountable for his actions and protect future clients from this kind of experience. He met the wrong one finally... and I will hold him accountable no matter how long it takes. Studying for the LSAT as I type this...