# Neighborhood Legal Services Program v. MF RYAN

> District of Columbia Court of Appeals · May 5, 1971 · 276 A.2d 728

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/1896136

## Case

- **Full name:** NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM of the District of Columbia, Et Al., Petitioners, v. the Honorable Joseph M. F. RYAN, Jr., Respondent
- **Court:** District of Columbia Court of Appeals
- **Decided:** May 5, 1971
- **Citations:** 276 A.2d 728; 1971 D.C. App. LEXIS 308
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Opinion by Kern
- **Judges:** Kern, Gallagher, Nebeker
- **Cited by:** 4 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/1896136

## Opinion text

KERN, Associate Judge:
The trial court sitting in the Domestic Relations Branch of the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions
*
assigned certain attorneys employed by the Neighborhood Legal Services Program (NLSP) to represent defendant in proceedings initiated by indigent plaintiffs also represented by NLSP attorneys. Petitioners seek from us a writ of mandamus or prohibition against the court directing the cessation of such appointments because NLSP attorneys would thereby be forced to violate the Code of Professional Responsibility and could not under these circumstances be “disinterested” attorneys as our Code requires.
1
The writs which petitioners seek are' extraordinary and should not be lightly issued unless normal review procedures are unavailable. Morrow v. District of Columbia, 135 U.S.App.D.C. 160, 168 , 417 F.2d 728, 736 (1969); United States v. Kronheim, D.C.Mun.App., 80 A.2d 280, 282 (1951). In view of our holding in Borden v. Borden, D.C.App., 277 A.2d 89 , we are confident that the issue of appointment of NLSP attorneys will be resolved and we therefore deny the relief requested in this case.
See
Brown v. Fauntleroy, D.C.Cir., 442 F.2d 838 at 842 (Decided Feb. 26, 1971).
So ordered.
*
Now the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
1
. D.C.Code 1967, § 16-918.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/1896136. Public record. Not legal advice.