My name is Lisa Downing and I am organizing this fundraiser for my friend Jules R., a mother of three, who needs $5,200 to retain a low-cost, flat fee attorney to protect her rights during an unjust custody battle over their two year old child. Her ex, a man with a paper trail documenting his domestic violence against her and a history of defying court orders (including restraining orders), has now accused Jules of child abuse, an accusation that was swiftly proven false through a mandated examination of the toddler by a physician. The accusation, however, was enough for the judge to grant temporary full custody to the ex and supervised visitation to Jules (details to follow). The attorney she plans to retain will represent her in court proceedings prior to and during the impending trial.

By profession, Jules is a caregiver to people with physical and/or intellectual disabilities. She recently recovered from 17 months of homelessness, brought on by her escape from her abuser. During those months, she scraped together enough cash for first and last month’s rent and secured an apartment for herself and her children. This has left her financially depleted.

THE DETAILS:

Jules and her former partner bought a house together and had a child, her third. But he quickly became physically and emotionally abusive. Jules has a chain of police reports, medical records, and restraining orders that document his violence against her. When she fled her abuser, she lived up to her obligations regarding the mortgage but, unbeknownst to her, he did not. The house was foreclosed upon, ruining her credit and complicating her journey out of homelessness.

Initially, the court awarded joint custody. But he is a vindictive man.

In late August, Jules’ abuser took their 2 year old for a scheduled visit but failed to return the child at the appointed time. She called him; his phone was dead. She drove to his residence; neither he nor her child were there. She panicked. For days she didn’t know the location of her toddler.

Then she got word that her ex was claiming their child's body was “covered in bruises" from an assault perpetrated by Jules, something she knew was false. Having not seen her toddler, she worried her ex had caused the alleged bruising. In spite of it being a weekend, the assigned Child Protective Services caseworker immediately had the child examined by a physician who determined there was no bruising anywhere on the child and no other sign of physical abuse. Jules reports that CPS cleared her of abuse that weekend.

But her first court date fell that Monday, a day the CPS worker had off. The caseworker didn’t come to court with the medical documentation. Jules informed the judge of the findings but the judge, of course, had to treat it as hearsay. The end result is that her abusive ex received temporary full custody until trial (which will be months away), with Jules receiving only supervised visitation.

That blow was bad enough, but she took another when she and the agreed upon supervisor showed up at his door for her first visitation. She felt excited to see her toddler and temporarily reunite the 2 year old with traumatized older siblings. But, in defiance of the court order, he refused the visit, stating he didn't approve of the supervisor when, the reality is, he was the person to offer the name of this supervisor to the judge. She knows from past experience that he will continue this disruptive behavior, hoping to wear her down and punish her for rejecting him. She is devastated, racked with anxiety, but determined.

She located a low-cost, flat fee attorney who takes hardship cases and who agreed to represent her now through the trial. She turned to her family for financial help, but they have had their own recent struggles and are unable to help her. I offered to sponsor this GoFundMe.

I have known Jules since she was 4 years old and have watched her endure hardship after hardship. Her mother, a friend of mine, passed away unexpectedly just months after Jules, at the young age of 20, had her first baby. Motherless, Jules leaned heavily on her older sister (her best friend) and they mourned together and helped one another figure out how to parent. When this sister later took her own life, Jules' grief was overwhelming. Through all her hardships, Jules has persevered and continued to serve and support her children and the special needs individuals for whom she is caregiver.

To Jules, the pricetag to retain legal help might as well be a million dollars. She simply doesn’t have it and has no way to raise it without help from the public. And so I ask you, if able, to please become part of a universe that finally smiles down on her and donate whatever you can to help her regain her parental rights. All donations, large or small, will go directly to Jules and will be used in her legal battle.

Thank you for your donations. Each will be greatly appreciate.