Legal Fees for Custody Battle with Abusive Ex

The Backstory

In June 2014 while I was pregnant with the youngest son and my 9-month-old daughter was in the next room, I finally found the courage to tell my abusive husband I wanted a divorce. What followed were the scariest 3 hours of my life as my husband held me, hostage, at gunpoint.

After being held hostage I found myself and my kids in a homeless shelter. One of the stipulations to stay was I had to file for child support. I did, and without having an attorney to help with my case, my ex-husband was awarded possession and access of our kids on a standard schedule. The judge was never even made aware of his abuse.

In December of 2019, my ex and I could not reach an agreement on the kids with Christmas. I told him we would go by the court order we already had in place as default and settle the matter. Unfortunately, he got angry and is now trying to get primary custody of our kids.

Because of the laws in these matters, none of the abuse that happened before the original order is admissible in our modification case. I have to build my case from scratch to prove that being with me, their mother, is in the best interests of the children.

I have been my children’s primary parent since the moment they were born. I run my own business so I can attend school functions and be there whenever my kids need me. Last year my ex-husband took a job that requires he be out of town 90% of the time and he sees the kids 4-5 times a year.

While I am rich in the blessings of being a mother, I am not able to afford to fight this case is it deserves. Given my ex-husbands past and his current situation I truly believe my children deserve to be with a parent who is present in their lives in every way every single day.

The Costs
I have found a great lawyer in my area who has agreed to take on my case. I was able to borrow the first $1,500 to get the case started. But given the contentious nature of my case, the lawyer expects the final total to be upward of $10k. These fees will cover all the leg work the attorneys do, any subpoenas they need, the guardian ad litem, and a possible trial.

How You Can Help

Any donation, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated. As someone who cannot always make a monetary donation myself please share this on your Facebook wall to spread the word.

Any of the money left over at the end of the case I plan to donate to help women and children who are facing abuse in their homes and need a safe way to leave.

My children and I thank you for any and all support.