Spende geschützt
PURPOSE
This page is set up to support a close friend of ours, Alaina, who is facing a very difficult divorce and needs financial help because she cannot afford a lawyer. She has represented herself many times in court over the past 10 months to defend her and her child's rights, but because she does not have legal representation, her appeals are being ignored. Because she has always represented herself alone, the court is siding completely with her husband's lawyer and she is losing everything that belongs to her.
The family court judge recently ruled regarding the custody of Alaina's only child, her 3-year-old daughter, completely disregarding Alaina as the primary parent and mother of her child. She was not even awarded shared custody. Lawyers who have assisted in reviewing the custody case are astonished by the many ways Alaina and her daughter's rights are being violated. The welfare of her daughter, Sylvie, is not prioritized at all. We are raising money to help her appeal this ruling.
HER STORY
Alaina's 4-year marriage ended a year ago after an abusive episode which required two Buncombe County sheriffs to remove her husband from their home. His abuse of Alaina was chronic throughout the marriage. His history of drug and alcohol abuse has been well documented and his assault and threat of battery against a co-worker was the reason for his termination from his former employer two summers ago. Despite her years-long suffering, Alaina's appeals for help from the court and social services were and continue to be repeatedly ignored.
Alaina then found out that the health problems she has been experiencing for the past 4 years were related to a near-fatal heart condition. When her health condition became severe, Alaina was let go from her job of 7 years. After falling down in the courtroom from a heart attack while facing her husband and his lawyer last fall, she was rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance and went through open heart surgery. She now has to go through life with a pacemaker and defibrillator. Most devastating, her daughter, Sylvie, was placed with her father when Alaina was in the hospital despite the fact that she had a restraining order against him. Her husband also took over the home they co-own without a court order, forcing her into homelessness.
At the final custody hearing, Alaina's husband's attorney used every argument he could fabricate to characterize her as an unstable person and unsuitable parent. Within a matter of weeks, she was childless, homeless, jobless, and recovering from a severe health crisis that was compounded by the stress of her abusive marriage. The anger she displayed at being denied visitation with her daughter for the first 5 months after her heart surgery was construed as emotional instability and the judge showed no sense of understanding.
Alaina came to live with us in January when her funds were exhausted and her emotions where frayed to the point of breaking. We have provided her a place of healing and restoration. The calm now on her face and in her spirit are palpable. Her expressions of faith in God's goodness demonstrate her renewed sense of hope that He will provide for her, regardless of the outcome of this extremely grievous battle.
SEEKING HELP
While Alaina has applied with domestic violence service agencies both in Boone and Asheville for assistance, they have provided social services, but are unable to help her attain the funding needed for legal representation. She has also applied to community based legal services in Asheville, but they too have turned her down and consider her disqualified since she is still listed as co-owner of her house.
Alaina needs a lawyer. All the experienced counsel she has received has consistently asserted that without a lawyer her appeals and arguments will not be given merit and she will not be heard. Her hearing next week is on the distribution of marital assets, and based on the influence of her husband's lawyer, she will likely lose all of her rights and not receive a fair and equitable distribution of everything for which she has worked so hard.
WHY SHE NEEDS A LAWYER
Alaina's main concern is not the material loss. She wants the simple right to have shared custody of her daughter Sylvie. She needs a lawyer to help her appeal the court's previous custody ruling... an unjust and extreme determination that only allows her to have 1 hour of monitored visitation per week. After months of separation from Sylvie, the pain of only being allowed to see her daughter for one hour per week is more than she can bear. Based on her words and actions in visitation, Sylvie is suffering greatly from being denied the care of her mother.
We are establishing this GoFundMe page for Alaina so that she can receive the goal of $20,000 needed to hire a lawyer. We are encouraging all of our friends to help her so that she can get competent legal representation and a fair hearing by a judge. Legal advisors have determined that this amount will be necessary. 100% of the funds raised will go to her aid.
PLEASE HELP
We hope many will contribute to this worthy cause. Thank you for supporting Alaina and her precious daughter with any amount you can give.
This page is set up to support a close friend of ours, Alaina, who is facing a very difficult divorce and needs financial help because she cannot afford a lawyer. She has represented herself many times in court over the past 10 months to defend her and her child's rights, but because she does not have legal representation, her appeals are being ignored. Because she has always represented herself alone, the court is siding completely with her husband's lawyer and she is losing everything that belongs to her.
The family court judge recently ruled regarding the custody of Alaina's only child, her 3-year-old daughter, completely disregarding Alaina as the primary parent and mother of her child. She was not even awarded shared custody. Lawyers who have assisted in reviewing the custody case are astonished by the many ways Alaina and her daughter's rights are being violated. The welfare of her daughter, Sylvie, is not prioritized at all. We are raising money to help her appeal this ruling.
HER STORY
Alaina's 4-year marriage ended a year ago after an abusive episode which required two Buncombe County sheriffs to remove her husband from their home. His abuse of Alaina was chronic throughout the marriage. His history of drug and alcohol abuse has been well documented and his assault and threat of battery against a co-worker was the reason for his termination from his former employer two summers ago. Despite her years-long suffering, Alaina's appeals for help from the court and social services were and continue to be repeatedly ignored.
Alaina then found out that the health problems she has been experiencing for the past 4 years were related to a near-fatal heart condition. When her health condition became severe, Alaina was let go from her job of 7 years. After falling down in the courtroom from a heart attack while facing her husband and his lawyer last fall, she was rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance and went through open heart surgery. She now has to go through life with a pacemaker and defibrillator. Most devastating, her daughter, Sylvie, was placed with her father when Alaina was in the hospital despite the fact that she had a restraining order against him. Her husband also took over the home they co-own without a court order, forcing her into homelessness.
At the final custody hearing, Alaina's husband's attorney used every argument he could fabricate to characterize her as an unstable person and unsuitable parent. Within a matter of weeks, she was childless, homeless, jobless, and recovering from a severe health crisis that was compounded by the stress of her abusive marriage. The anger she displayed at being denied visitation with her daughter for the first 5 months after her heart surgery was construed as emotional instability and the judge showed no sense of understanding.
Alaina came to live with us in January when her funds were exhausted and her emotions where frayed to the point of breaking. We have provided her a place of healing and restoration. The calm now on her face and in her spirit are palpable. Her expressions of faith in God's goodness demonstrate her renewed sense of hope that He will provide for her, regardless of the outcome of this extremely grievous battle.
SEEKING HELP
While Alaina has applied with domestic violence service agencies both in Boone and Asheville for assistance, they have provided social services, but are unable to help her attain the funding needed for legal representation. She has also applied to community based legal services in Asheville, but they too have turned her down and consider her disqualified since she is still listed as co-owner of her house.
Alaina needs a lawyer. All the experienced counsel she has received has consistently asserted that without a lawyer her appeals and arguments will not be given merit and she will not be heard. Her hearing next week is on the distribution of marital assets, and based on the influence of her husband's lawyer, she will likely lose all of her rights and not receive a fair and equitable distribution of everything for which she has worked so hard.
WHY SHE NEEDS A LAWYER
Alaina's main concern is not the material loss. She wants the simple right to have shared custody of her daughter Sylvie. She needs a lawyer to help her appeal the court's previous custody ruling... an unjust and extreme determination that only allows her to have 1 hour of monitored visitation per week. After months of separation from Sylvie, the pain of only being allowed to see her daughter for one hour per week is more than she can bear. Based on her words and actions in visitation, Sylvie is suffering greatly from being denied the care of her mother.
We are establishing this GoFundMe page for Alaina so that she can receive the goal of $20,000 needed to hire a lawyer. We are encouraging all of our friends to help her so that she can get competent legal representation and a fair hearing by a judge. Legal advisors have determined that this amount will be necessary. 100% of the funds raised will go to her aid.
PLEASE HELP
We hope many will contribute to this worthy cause. Thank you for supporting Alaina and her precious daughter with any amount you can give.
Organisator
Holly Drake
Organisator
Boone, NC