Hey everyone, thanks for reading this. I'm down to the wire, with my back to the wall. I have nowhere else to go with this, so I'm putting out my personal information. I don't do that. Ever. So please understand how desperate I am for a solution.
The situation begins with a crappy marriage to a crappy person. A divorce happens, and since then - 7 years worth of court battles. My ex-husband has taken me to court for everything under the sun. Mutual friends say that I hurt his ego when I left without looking back. Nearly everything he has taken me to court for, he has lost. The few things that he hasn't lost at, have been things like support modification, etc. things that there is no "win, lose" outcome. Since our divorce, I have taken him to court ONCE, and that was for contempt. I won. I won big.
February 8th of this year, I won in court again. I represented myself because I have no money left. March 12th is the next time we go to court for trial. We're going to court because my exhusband is out of options - he has tried to terminate my contact with our children every way possible, but has repeatedly failed. Now he is trying to move out of state. His basis for moving is financial. He says he is in financial ruins (yet buys two ipods, nintendo DS and other things for our children) therefore he must move to California.
On to the nitty gritty... I want to get a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) involved. For those not "in the know" a GAL is an advocate that looks into what is best for the children. It is my belief that a move to California (or anywhere) at this time, would be extremely harmful to our children. Their therapist says that it would likely reactivate their trauma and send them spiraling downward. My ex husband says that it would only be an "inconvenience" to our children. I want to get a GAL involved to get to the bottom of the issue. Should they be moved or not?
I am 100% convinced they SHOULD NOT BE MOVED. I am fairly certain that a GAL would agree with me. In order to hire a GAL, I need to pay her retainer fee. On the low end, I have spoken with Shirley Twohig, and her retainer is $1,400. On the high end, I have spoken with June Hendersen's office, and she is $2,000.
I have no money left. Business has been very slow, Mark has taken everything out of his TSP, we have nothing left in savings, all bonds have been cashed, all parents are tapped out... I come to all of you, asking - begging for help. Could you, and will you put up whatever you can each to help me please? If I could get 70 people to give $20 each, that is the retainer for Shirley.
I definitely cannot pay you back anytime soon. I can promise that I will try my best though, to get the money back to you as soon as I can. It could be quite a few months though, and not everyone at once. Just one person at a time.
Can and will any of you help me please? I don't have anywhere else to turn. I need to raise the money this week, because there is precious little time for the GAL to investigate and prepare for trial.
If not, thank you for reading anyway. I would appreciate all the prayers, vibes, karma, juju, etc. you can send me to help me out.
Here since: Feb 20, 2012
Male, 39
Disabled Healthcare/Educator Professional
Fort Myers, FL, US
Languages: English
Today truly is the day that the LORD has made. Since I was a small child I have vivid memories of being treated at the dentist's office at 1:00 in the morning...this was in Idaho. I have had a har... see full post
Here since: Feb 20, 2012
Female
student
Athens, OH, US
i am a college freshman trying to be independant. I am in a family of 8 and we are low income. I am the first one to go to college in my family and i am working 2 jobs while being a full time student.... see full post
