Guatadopt has just learned that the attorney Marta Marilu Martinez
Escobar has been banned by the US Embassy in Guatemala. Below is a communication that was sent to parents who had her registered as their attorney (and for whom the embassy had contact info). What appears odd in this is that with all other times someone has been banned, the Embassy has allowed in-process cases to be completed. That does not seem to be the case here.
We do not know why she was banned or have any other information regarding this. If we learn more, we will keep you informed.
Notice from DHS to clients of Lic.Martinez Escobar:
Please be advised that effective August 14, 2006, Marta Marilu Martinez
Escobar, your Guatemalan attorney of record, has been banned from involvement in the submission and/or processing of any adoption cases before this office.
Therefore, you need to provide us with the following documents:
1) New Case Informational Sheet stating the name of your new Guatemalan attorney that will replace Ms. Martinez, and his/her correct e-mail address and contact information. We will not accept to use the same e-mail address provided by Ms. Martinez previously.
2) New G-28 form.
This change must be reflected also in the documents submitted as part of the Final packet.
This office regrets any inconveniences that this may cause you, but this action was taken in order to protect your interests.
You need to take action as soon as possible in order to continue processing your case.
Sincerely,
Adoptions' Unit
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
American Embassy - Guatemala
Unit 3334/APO AA 34024
Guatemala.Adoptions@dhs.gov
Kevin,
Even though it is true that the attorney Marta Marilu Martinez Escobar was banned by the US embassy, it is not true that the cases where she acted as legal representative for the adoptive parents cannot be completed. The embassy is only requiring updated information about the new lawyer that will represent the parents, which is obvious, since Ms. Martinez no longer will represent them. That is only a minor inconvenience that will neither stop the processes nor will prevent the adoptions from being finalized.
To the families whose adoptions are affected by this measure, do not worry, because your adoptions will continue. Just be sure to contact your agency and provide them with new G-28 forms and the new forms that the embassy will require beginning September.
Best regards,
Susana Luarca, ADA
Posted by: Susana Luarca at August 21, 2006 02:08 PMJust wanted to let you know that Susana is correct. Our agency contacted us when our atty told them this was going to happen. We had to do the new form and a new POA. That was it. It was done and sent to GUA. So i'm sure that your atty or agency knew about this before the notice from the embassy. It hasn't been a problem at all with us and we are in PGN (have been now for awhile).
Posted by: TPoole at August 22, 2006 09:58 AMAs far as my personal situation with this issue, my agency did not know beforehand and they are stumbling to find another attorney. For TPoole, what resources did your agency use to obtain another attorney?
PB
As far as knowing how they got another atty i'm not sure. All i know is that they sent us a email 3 weeks ago with the new information. We did it and it is in GUA as of yesterday per our caseworker. It hasn't held us up at all. What agency are you using if i can ask? I hope this helps
Posted by: tpoole at August 22, 2006 06:32 PMWhat does this mean? She was my attorney. I am in PGN. I did not learn of this information through my agency.
Posted by: Debbie at August 23, 2006 06:59 AMI am surprised at this because we had her for our attorney last year and were quite pleased with her representation and attention to our case. I hope it is to be resolved soon as we were hoping to request her for a second adoption.
Posted by: bridgette at August 23, 2006 05:46 PMShe was my attorney as well-we haven't even made it to PGN yet. Does this mean our case will stop until a new POA is received?
Posted by: Mary at August 23, 2006 11:24 PMmarilu martinez was our attorney when we adopted our 3 children from guatemala. she was extremely professional and competetent. I can't imagine anything that would have her not completing adoptions. We were so impressed by Marilu and her staff when we adopted each of our three guatemalan children....sheree Fedder
Posted by: sheree fedder at August 24, 2006 01:57 PMWe aren't sure if it will stop your process but we are in pgn right now. We were told per our agency that if we come out they can't do anything else until our NEW POA gets there. we also asked what happen and were told it was stupid. So who really knows.
Best of luck to you all.
This "should not" impact PGN. She banned by the US Embassy, that has nothing to do with PGN. So if you already havea visa preapproval, then PGN should not be impacted.
Kevin
Guatadopt.com
My case just entered family court on the 23rd of August. What happens and does anyone know what the step is in family court and how long it takes
Posted by: Tonyann at August 26, 2006 08:01 AMMarta too was my original attorney on my POA. Does anyone yet know why she was banned? My agency has now re-done my POA using a new attorney. Her name is Ilda Yaresa Vegli Medina Vielman. Does anyone have any experince with her as their attorney? My case went into PGN on August 10,right before the attorney was banned. You can email me directly if you like.
Posted by: Kelley at August 26, 2006 10:14 AMDoes anyone have any information or know a website that does about fostering your own child in Guatemala while the adoption is being finalized?
Posted by: Kelley at August 26, 2006 11:02 AMKelley-
We also have been changed to the same atty. I would love to email you. So can you post your email.
tpoole-
Yes please email me...I realized I had not put my address in the previous message...sorry...it is kjonesasid@yahoo.com
Has anyone found out why Marta Marilu Martinez Escobar was banned?
Posted by: Kristy at September 13, 2006 08:54 AMI used to work with Marilu Martinez and she has been very proffesional. I hope it is to be resolved soon, because I'm sure that people are just mad because her succesful has been fast, made by her own work.
Posted by: Carlos Ovalle at September 19, 2006 05:33 PMOkay, to be confrontational, here (but, hopefully, to help all or us and those who will follow in our footsteps). Anyone who was working with this attorney or whose agency was working with this attorney should be insisting on knowing why she was banned, in my opinion. Sometimes it is for no real important reason, but sometimes it has to be for very important reasons. Why is nobody insisting on getting this information? Why the passive acceptance? Curious. I think some of it has to do with our feeling so vulnerable, helpless, and frightened to do/say anything that may jeopardize our being parents. But, you know, we should insist upon more rights. These rights won't just be handed to us. Claire
Posted by: claire at September 26, 2006 10:30 PMThis was also our notorial attorney in our daughter's adoption with her signing papers in September through November of 2004. Now that we are 1.5 years later, does anyone know anything more as to why Maria Marilu' Martinez Escobar was banned?
Posted by: Jill S at January 13, 2008 02:58 PMDoes anyone know why she was banned yet? I wrote to the adoptions unit (guatemala.adoptions@dhs.gov) and they could not answer me.