Help Save Presley!

Christie Terrell and her two children thought they had escaped the abuse of her ex-husband only to find themselves in a nightmare of a situation with yet another form of abuse being perpetrated against them in a very corrupt family court system here in Bexar County.

Christie and her ex-husband(a local attorney) were officially/legally married for a little over 5 years, but they ONLY spent a total of 8 months(they argue 10mos) in the marital home together. Her divorce has been dragged out for years, spending more time legally separated in the divorce process than she was physically in the marriage. Due to some concerning red flags prior to their marriage, her ex, in an attempt to love bomb her into marrying him anyway, drew up a pre-nuptial agreement. As an attorney he offered the pre-nuptial agreements as a form of "safety" for Christie, and to prove he promised to never harm her, or take advantage of her in the event of a divorce as she had expressed fears of. It included things like he would "never" fight her for custody of their daughter Presley. That if they were to divorce he would pay "ALL legal fees" if he challenged the agreement, as well as some other things that he presented to her as a gesture of good faith and to prove he had turned over a new leaf. After two failed attempts to live together for 4 months each time, Christie had to flee the home with very few personal items of her and her children’s just to escape the daily toxicity and abuse. She was monitored with hidden cameras and recording devices all over her home, in their bedroom, bathrooms, even her car. He was controlling, verbally and emotionally abusive, physically abusive, financially abusive, sexually abusive and she feared for her life and still does. She did the right thing to get out, many women if dealt what she has would have caved and just gone back(as she had several times before) to their abuser to make the additional nightmare end. She is standing strong.

This man and his attorney have done nothing short of make her life a living nightmare, there has been court corruption, exparte communication, in-chamber meetings, falsified affidavits and TRO(in attempts to receive the upper hand), intimidation of multiple attorneys towards Christie, and intimidation by these same attorneys towards Christie's previous attorneys. They have gone as far as to file grievances on her attorney frivolously just to get them to abandon Christie at pivotal points in her legal procession to fight for custody in the divorce. Using one sided mediators that her ex used to work with, etc.

They have instilled fear and silence in Christie when she chose to speak out and have her voice heard after years of silencing her in the court system. A system she thought would hear her and protect her. Because of her using her voice, her ex’s attorney filed a personal lawsuit against her for defamation. Asking for $250,00- 1 million in damages. That is currently in appeals court. Christie was simply reaching out for help through social media when her ex husband-under the guidance of his attorney- took Presley from her home and bed(they did not live together) at only 14months old and HID HER IN HOTEL ROOMS FOR 10 DAYS. Christie was frantically trying to find her child as her ex was not revealing their wherabouts. This was not heard by a judge until 3 yrs later at final trial. And her ex husband just got away with all of that and even won custody. This was obviously due to the suppression of vital evidence. No doubt.

On top of all this, her ex husband gave Christies firearm to his attorney. For no reason. His attorney has had posession of Christies firearm(unlawfully) now for 3 yrs. Despite the judge ordering her to return the firearm, his attorney has not returned the firearm and in fact continues to harass Christie using fake claims and insults when Christie has reached out about the firearm return.

Furthermore, since Christie was court ordered to leave the marital home(just because someone had to leave). Her ex and his attorney only allowed Christie to get what THEY allowed. Leaving 5 pages of personal and separate belongings of hers and her childrens. Forcing Christie to rebuild from basically scratch. Although, her ex has been court ordered to return these belongings she still has not recieved any of it. And her ex is claiming he does not have the majority of these items. This includes jewelry from her previous relationships, belongings of her son Owen-who is not this mans child, furniture, belongings of her deceased mother, cousin and grandparents. Any and all pictures of her childhood.

If you think this is exhausting to read. Imagine what this single mother and children are going through. She is exhausted and yet is still standing.

Christie has spent around $200,000 (she says this is a conservative number) on her divorce. More than she even makes in 1 yr as a nurse. She has no parents to turn to and carries herself all on her own. The divorce according to the pre-nup agreement said would not be a bill for her to carry. Their final divorce hearing after years of stalling and manipulation and court corruption on his part was final in 9/2022. At that hearing there was a trial, which Christie was elated, she thought that peers would be able to see the situation for what it was, finally! Instead, opposing council spent time chatting with the jury on breaks offering them snacks, even inviting them to dinner during the trial for when this was all over! This was brought up during the trial and the Judge dismissed it. And her attorney failed to ask for a mistrial. His attorney simply told the judge "It was the jurors who asked me to dinner". Obvious jury tampering apparently is OK in Bexar County family court. In the end the psychiatric reports that are very damning to her ex and were court ordered to be done for both, were never allowed into evidence. Despite there being 3 psyche evaluations on both parties. Christie volunteered to take the first two and was ordered(because her ex demanded it) to take the 3rd evaluation(even though her previous 2 were "normal") and pay $3,500 which took her months to come up with those funds. And using it against her that she had a hard time affording that by filing frivulous motions regarding it. When ultimately, the results of the psyche evaluations DID NOT MATTER. The pre-nuptial agreement her ex created himself was not ultimately honored(only partial) She was ordered to pay her ex $300,000.00 for "wiretapping", when he was the one recording her every move. She started to record incidents of direct abuse. In fact, her ex handed over 5,000 videos to Christies attorney. 5,000!!! In that very short period of time they lived together he recorded her at least 5,000 times without her knowledge and these are just the ones he provided. Even with that many recordings of his wife, there was nothing damning that would have called to remove the child from her mother. And certainly nothing to back removing any parental rights. Absolutely zero.

The most critical of Christies recordings were not played to the jury. The CRITICAL recordings/videos/evidence/journaling was NEVER admitted to the court. As the judge continued to sustain most objections. Vital evidence what was needed to help free this sweet mother and her children was DENIED over and over.

The jury most likely does not even know that after they granted joint custody, Judge Gonzales stripped Christie further of parental rights. Allowing her ex husband to make all decisions regarding the child "after conferring" which he does not do. He now abuses his power and it has been a daily NIGHTMARE for Christie and Presley. Taking her to dr appointments without her mother, getting her vaccinated without her mother. Which is something that Christie has never missed. Making school decisions without Christie’s consent. Enrolling her in Cornerstone with Christie’s blatant disapproval and consent. His ex wife-who he is suing, works in that school and this is going to obviously continue our drama and conflict for their child Presley. Paying for private school when they both live in perfectly good school districts. And yet claiming he needs child support from Christie.

In fact, since he's won custody in August, he has had her in daycare(PreK). She is there all week days during his possession from 8:30 to 5:30-6pm at times. When Christie can stay home(due to her nursing schedule) and wants to stay home with Presley. Presley’s time with her mother- who she has been raised since birth- has been significantly reduced. And when Christie chooses not to pawn her daughter off at daycare on her very limited days, her ex husband threatens to send police. He does not want to raise Presley but instead wants to punish Christie and have the daycare raise Presley. He also pawns off Presley to sitters and his mother(who was written in their prenup to not be around Presley due to this man’s own experience of abuse with his mother) and yet prefers strangers and his mother to Presley over her own mother.

Their final trial judge, happened to be Facebook friends with her ex husband (attorney). And was the only Bexar County judge that was his facebook friend at the time. In addition, Christie had previously explained concerns about this judge on her Facebook page when this judge in a previous hearing ordered the child at 2yrs of age to be handed to her father during her battle with COVID when Christie was desperately trying to care for her sick child as a COVID ICU nurse herself. She was not even allowed to recover her own child from COVID. Christie believes the extremely one sided orders ultimately given by Judge Gonzales in their final trial was a direct retaliation against her for voicing against her on Facebook. This post was even provided as an exhibit to the court by opposing counsel and this should have also been a CLEAR conflict and immediate recusal of that judge.

Ultimately, Christie lost primary custody of Presley, for no specific reason, literally not a reason listed. As a mother she has no reason to have primary custodianship removed. She has never had an investigation into either child. She has always maintained primary custodianship of her son Owen from a previous relationship. She maintains a stable and beautiful loving home, she has a stable job, she cares for her children and is heavily involved in their wellbeing. She does not do drugs, does not drink, she does not have a criminal history. She had been an ICU nurse for 18yrs. This is a mom who ADORES her children and who's children ADORE her. ABSOLUTELY no reason, other than her ex(an attorney) requested he be granted primary. Despite Christie having primary all of Presley’s life.

Her ex was ordered to pay for her vehicle payment, as she proved with documentation that she had refused the vehicle and he bought it anyways even trading in her paid off car for the new one. I was a witness to him calling her one shift constantly at the dealership, and she was nearly in tears out of frustration that she absolutely did not want a car or him to harass her at work about a car. She was already planning to leave him permanently at this time and didn't want that bill. He was ordered to pay her car payment, which to date he has refused to do. They were court ordered to have the marital home on the market by 09/30/2022, splitting the profit 50/50. He has remained living in the home(9 mos later), having parties in the home, entertaining his new girlfriend and her children in the home, has fraught her efforts to put the home on the market, has had 2 different realtors place the home on the market without Christies knowledge and against the court ordered process and has used these months to attach his personal liens on the home-which is her Homestead- ensuring there will be no profit for Christie. Despite there being zero liens on the home at the time the orders were given to sell. He has utilized the leins for his own debt. Making sure Christie walks away with nothing including their daughter and a $300,000 bill to him. His own attorney at this week’s hearing on 5/22/2023 stated because of the liens her ex husband attached to their home, Christie will get nothing. He did this partly to pay off his own debt, but to also financially cripple Christie even further. The price she has to pay for marrying this man and ultimately seeking freedom.

The last hearing 5/22/2023 was a motion to prove inability to pay. Christie had filed an appeal in the Fourth Court of Appeals following her divorce trial. She needs the court record and transcript from the divorce court reporter to finish filing, get started with the brief and get a court hearing date set in appeals. The court reporter is asking $15,435 for the transcript and another $4,011 for the court record. Her ex is only going to pay a "copy fee" which will be approximately $5,000 after Christie pays the outrageous amount for these SAME documents. She filed an Inability to Pay affidavit 2 years ago(April 2021), and 2 yrs later the court reporter-through the Bexar County Courthouse staff attorney- filed a motion to prove her inabililty to pay this $20,000 and enforce the payment of it. And her ex husband filed a motion as well, stating that Christie can pay the funds. Monday 5/22/2023 after 8hr in the Courthouse, the hearing took place where Christie represented herself AGAIN pro se to prove her inability to pay. Where she absolutely proved she does not have the funds due to this ongoing legal abuse. She was up against her ex husband an attorney, his attorney from their divorce,(who is currently suing Christie in a personal lawsuit) -who is still being allowed to represent her ex husband despite her personal lawsuit- and the court reporter’s attorney-bexar county staff attorney.

In the hearing the attorneys and the judge suggested Christie should sell her vehicle, her only means of transportation to and from work. Something that would only benefit her ex husband further as he was ordered to pay the car. And that she should pick up some extra shifts at work and pay whatever the price is set to be by the Court Reporter. Christie is an ICU nurse that works 5-6days a week(when most nurses work 3days=full time) most weeks overnight! She only gets an average of 4 hours of sleep a day, some days she is up for 36-50+ hours like the day she went to court. This has been ongoing for almost 3 yrs now. Because she IS NOT a lawyer with a law degree it takes her hours to draft motions, exhibits, research case law, and to prepare to go in front of a judge. Meanwhile, her ex has a team of FIVE attorneys including himself representing him.

Christie wants more than anything to get her daughter back as custodial parent, for her daughter's own wellbeing. As Presley continues to be neglected and emotionally abused in the care of her father. She also wants to shine a light on the corrupt family court system. All Christie wants is for herself and her children to be heard! And they deserve that. If anyone would care to ask her children. They want to be with her. Wholeheartedly.

Unfortunately, Bexar County has a "presiding" system. So, no one judge follows the case through as each time they go to court is a different judge. Therefore, no one is keeping track of the torture this mom and her children are enduring at the hands of her ex/his attorneys and the court. In fact, no one has asked about the children. How they are doing watching their mother endure all of this. Being separated as siblings(Owen and Presley) who grew up together in Christies home and then torn apart by Judge Gonzales. Who said "thats what happens when you get divorced". Christie carried through pregnancy with Presley alone after leaving her abuser the first time. She gave birth as a single parent while her ex was dating other women throughout the pregnancy and simultaneously begging Christie to take him back. There were court orders in place awarding Christie primary of Presley and the court did not allow the jury to know of any previous orders. Christie was restricted to talking about her ex’s previous marriages or history when her ex husband was allowed to use certain orders and Christie’s relationship history to his advantage in court. Christie is an amazing mother who promised her children after this awful divorce process was over, she would take them to Disney. Presley’s father and attorney used the fact that she took her kids to Disney for 3 days to shame her. And say she can afford to pay these 20k court fees. They also mentioned that because Christie "goes out to dinner" sometimes -she can afford to pay 20K fees. And that she should not be paying a lawn guy to mow her lawn?? She should be mowing her lawn herself so she can continue to dish out all hard earned money into the court system for who knows how much longer. Until her ex husband decides he's had enough torturing the mother of his child. Which, in fact he has done to his 2nd ex wife and children. His second ex wife has endured legal abuse for years and still is. After he won primary of Presley in November, he has now filed ANOTHER suit against his second ex wife. Fighting for custody of those 2 children from that marriage now. If that wasn't enough. He sat in support recently with his current girlfriend(who he continues to deny or acknowlege)- supporting her in putting her ex husband and father of her children in jail for contempt. A good man and father.

How is our legal system allowing this man to use our courthouse and taxpayers money as his personal playground to continue to harass his exes and children??!

His need to keep his new "girlfriend" hidden stems from their prenuptial agreement having a cheating clause(Christie would get 100% community property and protection of his "girlfriends" alimony that she is still recieving from her ex husband(the one she wanted jailed). Christie has only recently found out about their ongoing relationship through her 5 yr old daughter and apparently they have been dating for years. Another major fact that was hidden from their judge and jury. Christie’s multiple post trial motions to be able to bring up new evidence and prove discrepancies in the orders, etc. were ignored and Christie continued to be denied due process.

Wining and dining a new woman and taking her on trips to Vegas and other places meanwhile collecting child support from Christie while keeping the child in daycare for 8 hour sometimes 9 hours a days (and fighting his 2nd ex wife now in hopes for child support from her) who has to work the equivalent of two jobs to make ends meet and shaming her for using her COVID bonus to take their child to Disney World.

I have sat through a few hearings during her divorce and I was maddened and disgusted at the blatant biases and refusal to allow into evidence any of her evidence that supported claims of abuse, control, and harassment. Or that would rebut what her ex claimed to be truths. His attorney, hearing after hearing has BLATANTLY lied to these judges of Bexar County. And gets away with it everytime. Despite everything she has been through, Christie continues to have faith that there are good judges and believes that one day she and her children will be heard. This needs to go to the appellate level so some light can be shown. But she can't even appeal until she has these documents that the court is holding ransom for $20,000. A legal barricade to her potentially proving what is wrong with our system as well as removing the ONLY PAWN in this sick game of his against her. He will stop at nothing to destroy her for leaving him, he told her so and the courts are allowing it to come true.

Further, the judge ordered Christie’s silence. By ordering her not to show anyone videos/recordings of her ex. You have to ask yourself why? And what they are trying to hide? She has ordered for Christie to not record her ex, which was her only source of protection from him. He continues to create scenes including physically blocking Christie and Presley from using the ladies room at gymnastics when Presley asked her mother if she could take her to the restroom. Her ex would not allow Christie to take Presley to the ladies room because "it’s not your day with her" and physically blocked the door. He abruptly pulled her out of the gymnastics she loved because of that incident that he created. Christie pays for all extracurriculars outside of her daycare and Presley’s father does not even show to support her.

She has ordered her silenced on social media. Against first ammendment rights. She has ordered that in the event of death, her ex will recieve her estate. How scary is that??

Christie and her children need our help!! And her story to be told is long overdue.

She has nothing to hide and they have everything to hide. If she was wrong, why would she be trying so hard to be heard and them so hard to silence her and hide evidence?