Amanda Bynes's attorney seeks over USD 16,000 in fees

Los Angeles: Troubled actress Amanda Bynes' attorney who she hired to represent her last year, has filed court documents to obtain $16,000 in fees.

Artemio Santiago stated in a filing Friday that Bynes retained his services Oct 14, 2014, to represent her at a competency hearing, several days after she was placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold. 

Santiago said that he convinced the troubled star to start taking her prescribed medication, which she had previously refused to do, reports eonline.com.

He stated in the filing that he visited her multiple times while she was hospitalized to make sure she was keeping up with her medicines and otherwise advise her.

A judge appointed Bynes's mother Lynn her temporary conservator Oct 22, 2014, after which another attorney was appointed to represent Amanda. After she was released Oct 31, 2014, however, she contacted Santiago to ask him to represent her at an upcoming conservatorship hearing, he stated. He was then removed as her counsel at said hearing.

Santiago further stated that he sent an invoice for $12,320.47 to the Bynes family's attorney, Tarak Arminak, but to date he had not been paid. He requested that sum, plus reimbursement for the cost of filing this petition, for a total of $16,380.47.

A hearing is scheduled for March 10.

This sort of legal action is common in probate matters where the person who incurred legal fees isn't in charge of his or her own money because the payment has to first be approved by a judge.