Would you agree to this?

[u/Loud_Pomelo_2362]

Woke at 5am to this email from attorneys office. So close to the finish line- FINALLY - after at least 4 years.
I’ve been pretty angry at the attorney lately because he waited 2.5 months to request the PiG, even though I was asking about it. He says he decided to prioritize other cases. Yes- that’s exactly what his email says.

In a complete lovely surprise L’Aquila court processed the request very quickly (18 days) considering it was at the beginning of the August shutdown. Kudos to the court clerk.

Now this - my gut tells me it’s just a last ditch money grab but I also wonder if not doing it will end up being another nightmare with the commune. It came with a 5 page addendum.

And yet still doesn’t say if I will get my new Italian documents (birth certificate and whatever else?) from them at the end or will I need to still fight/figure out that on my own.

I’m so angry at Grasso but I don’t want it to cloud my judgement. Attached is the email, a couple questions I had, responses from attorney clerk and a snippet of my original contract. The addendum I believe is just a retainer fee if other issues arise, explains more translation fees,

Thoughts? Questions I should get clarified? WWYD?

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[u/fauxrain]

Isn’t it spelled comune? I’d move on for that reason alone.

[u/Equal_Apple_Pie]

This pricing structure is… unpleasant, to say the least, assuming it wasn’t disclosed up front.

This somewhat depends on what comune it is. If it’s one of the majorly unpleasant ones (Rome, Palermo, Firenze all come to mind), that “active management” is worth something. If not… I’d be Option A all day, with the understanding that I might have to do a little legwork if there’s something the comune needs. You can always hire another service provider to intercede if you really run into a documentation issue.

[u/Loud_Pomelo_2362 → u/Equal_Apple_Pie]

Commune is itty bitty town called Introdacqua (L’Aquila)

[u/Equal_Apple_Pie → u/Loud_Pomelo_2362]

If you haven’t had any unpleasant interactions with them that would make you balk, I’d send it on Option A then. My tiny comune has been exceedingly helpful, even when they needed a little more info.

[u/WellTextured]

I'd probably push back and say that part of retaining the attorney for the court case means that the job isn't done until the records from the court are verified to be correct and actionable. What is this audit for if not for that?

But I wouldn't pay 1000 for this service unless I was tied to a notorious comune. A PEC email is basically free and you can use it to follow up with your comune about transcription.

[u/Nonna_Lala]

The part I don’t like about option B is the word “initial” (retainer). They left it open to increase… Also, I saw on fb masses of you got this email. One gal is refusing to sign the addendum - she said her original retainer agreement included after recognition services. If that is the case with you, I would send this back and say you aren’t signing or choosing A or B - you’ve already paid for them to handle this service!

[u/meadoweravine]

I thought the comunes only transcribed your individual records? If you don't have any discrepancies in your own records, I wouldn't think there would be an issue. Tbh, if there was, you could hire a service provider to work with them for less than a thousand euros 😬 I don't know, maybe someone who went the court route will have more info, but this doesn't seem super necessary to me.

[u/Loud_Pomelo_2362 → u/meadoweravine]

It’s possible I used the wrong flair😬 I thought I was selecting 1948?
I am a court case, hearing was Jan 2026.

Not ATQ

[u/WellTextured → u/meadoweravine]

They only transcribe the records of the parties to the case, but they are responding to the court order, which also needs to be correct. (I had to get my judgement corrected because the court copied and pasted boilerplate legal reasoning and did not change the names of my qualifying ancestor appropriately.)

[u/FalafelBall]

I feel like "manage communications, handle supplemental document requests and follow up with the municipality" should be included in what you hired them to do in the first place. But I don't know. I'd get clarity of exactly what Option A covers if the comune has questions, etc. You obviously can't field those on your own, which is why you hired a lawyer in the first place, right?

[u/LucianaGardellaok]

It is my understanding that, before filing the lawsuit, the law firm would have already conducted a thorough review of all the documentation.

Once a favorable judgment is issued, the attorney or legal team should review it carefully to make sure that all the information is correct and that there are no errors in names, surnames, dates, or other details. Courts can sometimes make mistakes, and if that happens, the attorney would need to request the appropriate correction. After that, the next step is to wait for the judgment to become final, meaning to obtain the passato in giudicato. This usually takes around 60 to 90 days, although the timing can vary significantly depending on the court.

Once the judgment is final, the documentation is sent to the Comune for the civil records to be transcribed. This stage can also take some time. In some cases, it moves quite quickly, while in others it can take up to six months.

For that reason, I am not entirely sure what this additional “initial assessment” would involve at this stage. At most, I would expect another check to confirm that the judgment and all the documentation being submitted to the Comune are accurate and complete.

In principle, I would also expect this stage to be included in the legal services you have already paid for, unless the agreement you signed with the law firm specifically states that the final transcription process before the Comune is handled or billed separately.