Help Linda fight for her home and peace of mind
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Update on June 30th: He and his attorney are asking that I have to vacate my home by July 9th. I have no access to the pension I was awarded and been ordered to continue to pay our loans and mortgage by myself. I'm in a desperate situation with my 4 dogs and my children who need my support.
I've been going through a divorce since December 2019 and without an attorney for the last 7 months. I'm a disabled veteran unable to work and fighting for the little that I have to preserve my home for my children and my pets. Without representation, the final divorce decision was unfair and unethical.
Since December 2020, attorneys have been quoting me $20,000 for the initial fee. I have since appealed the court's decision but again a $20,000 fee for the one attorney that considered taking on my appeal. FYI: not very many attorneys take on divorce appeals so it's even more difficult.
I have been paying all the shared bills on my own since May 2020. I've been told by attorneys from January through September, 2020 that all bills I have paid myself, all property assets taken from the home by the other party, all cash benefit assets in his control would be shared and dispersed at the final hearing. None of that happened. I received nothing for the $20,000 of assets taken, the $30,000 of cash benefits and received only 2 years of alimony that should be at least 5 years for the length of the marriage and because I'm disabled, it is suppose to be indefinite. The 2 years of alimony I was awarded was offset to pay for his student loans that haven't and still are not being paid for.
I have applied or called for every resource that could help me. Local pro-Bono, legal aid, state bar, many, many attorneys, DAIS of Dane County with no movement in the court room. I have sent in requests to the judge asking for shared benefits of cash assets and for time to find an attorney to take my case before the final hearing. I was denied this by the judge because he stated "You are intelligent enough to go into the final hearing alone". Yet when I spoke or offered evidence, he would ignore me. In court the judge has asked me why I needed any of our tools: "What do you need? A hammer and screwdriver?" The judge also has stated he doesn't believe I'm scared of him even though I had an order in place where he had to have my permission to come by my place of residence. During the final hearing, off record, the judge proceeded to talk to him about his support for his occupation. Very biased, very unfair. It made me feel victimized.
I have went into many hearings alone since December and despite all my work and attempts to show the one-sidedness, unfairness in the distribution of assets, shared bills that only I paid, the value of all the marital assets taken out of the home, I've been ignored. The other attorney is writing up the orders in her words rather than the judge's statements in court but the judge has signed them. I'm not an attorney and have no idea how to fight for my rights. I'm learning fast but not fast enough.
The order also is forcing me to sell my home with no offer to finance myself. (I have appealed the final divorce decision but it could be months before we go to the Court of Appeals hearing). My home is not worth much more than the amount owed, would not get much out of the sale and would have to re-home two of my elderly dogs or be forced to put them down. I also have my service dog and my son's ESA. All housing in my area will not be affordable if I am forced to move but staying in my current home will allow me, my pets and my sons to stay in our home.
It has been a very hard battle and very unethical. I'm continuing to fight for what is right and fair. I'm not asking for any more that what I'm entitled and trying to protect those around me that need my love and support.
Thank you for all that you can do. It's hard to ask for any help but especially money. It puts you in a very vulnerable position but I'm in a desperate situation that involves more than just me.
I've been going through a divorce since December 2019 and without an attorney for the last 7 months. I'm a disabled veteran unable to work and fighting for the little that I have to preserve my home for my children and my pets. Without representation, the final divorce decision was unfair and unethical.
Since December 2020, attorneys have been quoting me $20,000 for the initial fee. I have since appealed the court's decision but again a $20,000 fee for the one attorney that considered taking on my appeal. FYI: not very many attorneys take on divorce appeals so it's even more difficult.
I have been paying all the shared bills on my own since May 2020. I've been told by attorneys from January through September, 2020 that all bills I have paid myself, all property assets taken from the home by the other party, all cash benefit assets in his control would be shared and dispersed at the final hearing. None of that happened. I received nothing for the $20,000 of assets taken, the $30,000 of cash benefits and received only 2 years of alimony that should be at least 5 years for the length of the marriage and because I'm disabled, it is suppose to be indefinite. The 2 years of alimony I was awarded was offset to pay for his student loans that haven't and still are not being paid for.
I have applied or called for every resource that could help me. Local pro-Bono, legal aid, state bar, many, many attorneys, DAIS of Dane County with no movement in the court room. I have sent in requests to the judge asking for shared benefits of cash assets and for time to find an attorney to take my case before the final hearing. I was denied this by the judge because he stated "You are intelligent enough to go into the final hearing alone". Yet when I spoke or offered evidence, he would ignore me. In court the judge has asked me why I needed any of our tools: "What do you need? A hammer and screwdriver?" The judge also has stated he doesn't believe I'm scared of him even though I had an order in place where he had to have my permission to come by my place of residence. During the final hearing, off record, the judge proceeded to talk to him about his support for his occupation. Very biased, very unfair. It made me feel victimized.
I have went into many hearings alone since December and despite all my work and attempts to show the one-sidedness, unfairness in the distribution of assets, shared bills that only I paid, the value of all the marital assets taken out of the home, I've been ignored. The other attorney is writing up the orders in her words rather than the judge's statements in court but the judge has signed them. I'm not an attorney and have no idea how to fight for my rights. I'm learning fast but not fast enough.
The order also is forcing me to sell my home with no offer to finance myself. (I have appealed the final divorce decision but it could be months before we go to the Court of Appeals hearing). My home is not worth much more than the amount owed, would not get much out of the sale and would have to re-home two of my elderly dogs or be forced to put them down. I also have my service dog and my son's ESA. All housing in my area will not be affordable if I am forced to move but staying in my current home will allow me, my pets and my sons to stay in our home.
It has been a very hard battle and very unethical. I'm continuing to fight for what is right and fair. I'm not asking for any more that what I'm entitled and trying to protect those around me that need my love and support.
Thank you for all that you can do. It's hard to ask for any help but especially money. It puts you in a very vulnerable position but I'm in a desperate situation that involves more than just me.
Organizer
Linda Stelter
Organizer
Sun Prairie, WI