Here's why Lori Vallow lost her lawyer amid her criminal case

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Mugshot of Lori Vallow

The lawyer representing Lori Vallow, the "doomsday" mother whose two children were found dead after going missing for months, has been disqualified to represent her due to a conflict of interest.

Court documents obtained by FOX 10 on Dec. 28 revealed Judge Steven Boyce in Freemont County, Idaho signed a 17-page memorandum decision and order to disqualify attorney Mark Means.

Documents say Means represented Vallow's husband, Chad Daybell, previously. After looking at previously sealed documents during a fact-finding process, the court made its decision, saying Means wouldn't be able to "adequately" represent Vallow for this reason.

Daybell is currently represented by John Prior, who the court says works in the same building complex as Means. Leading up to the children being found dead after a search warrant was conducted on his property, Daybell was back and forth with whom he claimed represented him.

Upon the children being found, documents say Daybell called Means to discuss what he believed to be protected under attorney-client privilege, which he reportedly has done in the past.

With Daybell's history with Means, the court didn't see the attorney properly representing Vallow.

In September, a judge decided Vallow is still not fit to participate in her own court proceedings, to face charges in relation to the deaths of 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan — two of Lori’s kids — and Chad’s first wife, Tammy Daybell.

Vallow and Daybell are charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder, among other crimes.

The children’s bodies were found in Chad Daybell’s backyard in Idaho in 2020.

For further coverage on the case, click here.