I'm a victim of domestic violence at the hands of my husband, who abused me for 10 years of our marriage. We have no children. He was arrested on 3/14/11 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. I got a temporary protective order the following day. He filed for divorce on 3/23/11. We had a final hearing on the protective order and he asked to communicate by email regarding the business, which I bought in 2004, and which we had operated together since then. Assuming we would split the funds received, my attorney at the time, did not ask for financial support for me at that hearing. Shortly thereafter, I discovered that my husband had instructed the customers to pay a new business he had set up, thereby cutting off my only source of income.
My husband continued to withdraw money from my accounts, charge to my credit cards, steal my mail, and then, change my mailing address to his own, so that he received my mail. He even charged his legal fees, including his criminal defense fees, to my account. I do not drive, and there was no public transportation in the area. I was quickly running out of funds and my husband was shutting off utilities in the house, left, right and center, even leaving me without water, at one point. I was left caring for a large number of cats, mostly his, without any support, and was told I could not surrender them to a shelter, because they were "marital assets".
I decided to relocate to an area with public transportation in another state for my safety and peace of mind. At the time I did so (a month ago), my attorney led me to believe we were close to reaching a settlement. As soon as my I left, my husband went back to the house, and is now, not willing to settle. I have no funds left to pay my attorney, so he says my attorney can no longer represent me.
My attorney made a feeble attempt to have mediation waived at the end of April, but the judge ordered us to separate mediation, at the courthouse. It has not occurred, however. I can't afford to pay for it, and my husband refuses. My attorney said mediation would be a waste of time because my husband is not willing to fairly settle. But trial would cost $25,000+ I've already paid $13,000 in legal fees of my own, owe another $1,000, and have paid $7,500 of my husband's legal fees, which he withdrew from my account. I only have a little more money left to support myself until I can find employment.
Our assets include a house, a business, 3 vehicles -- all of which are currently in my husband's possession. He has received all the income from the business since April, although he charged business expenses to my account during April, until I decided to close the accounts.
I do not understand why I cannot get temporary alimony or why my husband cannot be forced to pay legal fees. How can he just walk away with everything? And why haven't the attorneys who represented me and charged so much, helped me get financial support? According to FL statutes, both of these are possible. But I cannot afford to pay any more in legal fees to either keep the lawyer I had, or retain another. I don't know what to do, or how to go forward. Legal Aid cannot help because there are no children, and they only help in cases where there are children. Should I represent myself? If so, how do I go about doing that? Is it possible to find an attorney who would go after my husband for legal fees?
It seems, according to the court website, that the protective order could also be modified to include temporary support, but I do not know how to go about doing that either. Can I do this long distance, by mail? Obviously, I'd have to attend a hearing on the matter. Can I be ensured safety if I have to return to Florida?
My husband continued to withdraw money from my accounts, charge to my credit cards, steal my mail, and then, change my mailing address to his own, so that he received my mail. He even charged his legal fees, including his criminal defense fees, to my account. I do not drive, and there was no public transportation in the area. I was quickly running out of funds and my husband was shutting off utilities in the house, left, right and center, even leaving me without water, at one point. I was left caring for a large number of cats, mostly his, without any support, and was told I could not surrender them to a shelter, because they were "marital assets".
I decided to relocate to an area with public transportation in another state for my safety and peace of mind. At the time I did so (a month ago), my attorney led me to believe we were close to reaching a settlement. As soon as my I left, my husband went back to the house, and is now, not willing to settle. I have no funds left to pay my attorney, so he says my attorney can no longer represent me.
My attorney made a feeble attempt to have mediation waived at the end of April, but the judge ordered us to separate mediation, at the courthouse. It has not occurred, however. I can't afford to pay for it, and my husband refuses. My attorney said mediation would be a waste of time because my husband is not willing to fairly settle. But trial would cost $25,000+ I've already paid $13,000 in legal fees of my own, owe another $1,000, and have paid $7,500 of my husband's legal fees, which he withdrew from my account. I only have a little more money left to support myself until I can find employment.
Our assets include a house, a business, 3 vehicles -- all of which are currently in my husband's possession. He has received all the income from the business since April, although he charged business expenses to my account during April, until I decided to close the accounts.
I do not understand why I cannot get temporary alimony or why my husband cannot be forced to pay legal fees. How can he just walk away with everything? And why haven't the attorneys who represented me and charged so much, helped me get financial support? According to FL statutes, both of these are possible. But I cannot afford to pay any more in legal fees to either keep the lawyer I had, or retain another. I don't know what to do, or how to go forward. Legal Aid cannot help because there are no children, and they only help in cases where there are children. Should I represent myself? If so, how do I go about doing that? Is it possible to find an attorney who would go after my husband for legal fees?
It seems, according to the court website, that the protective order could also be modified to include temporary support, but I do not know how to go about doing that either. Can I do this long distance, by mail? Obviously, I'd have to attend a hearing on the matter. Can I be ensured safety if I have to return to Florida?
Last edited:
