Donate to help Derek with legal bills.

Hi, I'm Derek, and I need your help.

In August, after nearly a year of searching in a housing market that could best be described as a burning dumpster fire, my girlfriend Erin and I finally found a house together. We both have kids from previous marriages, and have worked hard and with purpose to blend our two families into one. We made steady, careful decisions in our relationship regarding our children meeting, spending time together, and what their specific needs were and what our parenting roles and styles are.

We were looking forward to taking the next step in our relationship, and the life of our new, silly family, by all moving into the same space together. It was a miracle, and pure luck, that our offer had been accepted and we had a chance at a new home and a blended family.

The problems arose when I notified my ex-wife of my intent to move our daughter to a new home. Despite finally having a home to call her own, and a loving family waiting for her, my ex-wife has proceeded to move forward in attempting to prevent our daughter from living in our home.

I don't want to go into too much detail here, but she has filed a petition of contempt with the court, and is trying to reduce my time with our daughter to almost nothing. She has filed to reduce it from the 50/50 custody to only being able to see my daughter for 1-2 hours during the week on 1-2 weeknights, and prohibiting her from spending weeknights at our home.

So I need a family law lawyer, and, given that any lawyer is a highly trained and schooled professional, retaining the services of one is expensive. Far more expensive than we can manage on our own, or with the help of immediate family, for any length of time.

I am asking for your help. I need the funds raised here to allow me to replenish my lawyer's retainer when necessary, and to help offset the lost wages from in-person meetings I have to attend.

I do not ask this lightly, but I don't know what else to do. The thought of losing my time with my little girl shakes me to the very core of my being. I love my daughter more than anything, and becoming a father was very easily the happiest and greatest moment in my life, and I will fight tooth and nail and do anything I can to prevent anyone from taking her away. This is a situation that never had to happen, and I need your help to try to set it right so our family can be together.

I can't offer much in return for your generosity and support, other than my heartfelt thanks, and a big squeezy hug, or firm handshake, your choice, if I ever see you in person.