If I have a friend whose attorney racked up 10,000 in a month and he cannot afford the attorney anymore, what are his options?

You cannot be appointed an attorney in child custody/civil proceedings, only in criminal proceedings where jail is a potential punishment (such as contempt actions). Your friend can request that the attorney withdraw from the representation and let the Court staff know he is proceeding pro se (representing himself), attempt to work out a payment plan with the attorney to continue the representation, or seek another attorney. The pro se option is very difficult, as the Court staff is not allowed to assist him with his case and he will be required to follow all court rules and procedures just as if he were a licensed attorney, which could result in irreparable damage to his case. If he chooses to try to continue with the same attorney, he should have a frank discussion with that attorney about ways he could keep costs down if the attorney is billing by the hour, perhaps he can do some work, organization, info gathering himself to help keep costs down going forward. Often what appears to be "racking up" a bill is not hiring a lawyer is not like buying anything else the other side's actions and in-actions can also drive up the bills and costs, as well as clients who require a lot of attention during the case (multiple phone calls and emails each week, etc.). Finally, if your friend seeks a new attorney, he should be fully honest with that person about his financial situation and ask about how to be cost conscious.