Donation protected
My name is Andy,
I'm a single dad who values my two children more than anything else, I have dedicated my life to them and the pursuit of being the best Dad I can possibly be, and now I am at serious risk of losing them..
I've been very self reliant since my youth, any time I needed to learn a new skill or accomplish a goal, I set my mind to it and persevered. I spent many years working beside my dad in residential electrical, I started a family with the love of my life at 22, we moved our family across the US from Maine to Alaska at 23, at 24 I built the first part of my first house and 3 years later owned a little slice of off grid Alaska with a cabin, shop, guest shack, and a dock on the lake out back for my kids paddle boat. I got my inland captains license and had high hopes of finishing the airplane I had been building. There were many many struggles along the way, but nothing could stop us. This spring my marriage ended in a dissolution. I walked away from my half of the equity in our little homestead, thankfully it was pretty civil and I was blessed to keep almost 50% custody of my beautiful and impressive little children, ages 3 and 6. These kids are a rarity among the world today, the environment they have grown up in doesn't exist in most places any more, and the opportunities they have regularly are often once in a lifetime, bucket list experiences for most people. They are the most precious part of my life. Together, my children and I built another cabin this summer, with bunk beds and bookshelves, a balcony, and the whole second floor as their play area. We have what we need, not much more, but it is a happy and safe environment for them to spend half of their time, growing, learning, and developing to be truly amazing individuals.
Recently, I filed a motion in court to adjust my custody from 43% to the originally proposed 50%, adjust my child support to my new income, and add a vacation clause for both sides so that my kids weren't prevented from visiting their extended families, mostly in New England, on both sides, or to just go on vacation for up to almost a few weeks once a year if they got the opportunity. I filed all of this without legal aid because I can't afford a lawyer.
The response I got from my ex-wife's new lawyer was shocking and appalling. I am being accused of a ridiculous list of very nasty accusations that I absolutely did not do. I can disprove this nonsense, but I'm in over my head as family law is not my field. The stated goal of these accusations is to revoke all of my custody and force me to complete a batterers course and parenting course before I'm eligible to regain supervised visitation. I have my speculations about the hidden agendas as well. I was finally able to seek an hour legal counsel, and though it was helpful and very informative, I have been advised that I must get a lawyer to represent me, or I will undoubtedly lose my children. There was a lot more included in that hour intro to family law hearings, but I can't elaborate on anything else at this time. I have nothing valuable or liquidable enough to cover even half the cost of the retainer, and it's at least a two hour drive one way to the only lawyer I could find that could fit me into their schedule. It's also an hour and a half to the courthouse where I have to file paperwork. I'm completely ineligible for any bank loan, and I have no other option but to ask for help.. and I'm on a very very short time constraint. If I don't try everything, every possible way to fight for my kids and our relationship, I will regret it for the rest of my life. So please, whether I know you yet or not, even if it's only a little bit, I would greatly appreciate any help.
Humbly,
Andy
I'm a single dad who values my two children more than anything else, I have dedicated my life to them and the pursuit of being the best Dad I can possibly be, and now I am at serious risk of losing them..
I've been very self reliant since my youth, any time I needed to learn a new skill or accomplish a goal, I set my mind to it and persevered. I spent many years working beside my dad in residential electrical, I started a family with the love of my life at 22, we moved our family across the US from Maine to Alaska at 23, at 24 I built the first part of my first house and 3 years later owned a little slice of off grid Alaska with a cabin, shop, guest shack, and a dock on the lake out back for my kids paddle boat. I got my inland captains license and had high hopes of finishing the airplane I had been building. There were many many struggles along the way, but nothing could stop us. This spring my marriage ended in a dissolution. I walked away from my half of the equity in our little homestead, thankfully it was pretty civil and I was blessed to keep almost 50% custody of my beautiful and impressive little children, ages 3 and 6. These kids are a rarity among the world today, the environment they have grown up in doesn't exist in most places any more, and the opportunities they have regularly are often once in a lifetime, bucket list experiences for most people. They are the most precious part of my life. Together, my children and I built another cabin this summer, with bunk beds and bookshelves, a balcony, and the whole second floor as their play area. We have what we need, not much more, but it is a happy and safe environment for them to spend half of their time, growing, learning, and developing to be truly amazing individuals.
Recently, I filed a motion in court to adjust my custody from 43% to the originally proposed 50%, adjust my child support to my new income, and add a vacation clause for both sides so that my kids weren't prevented from visiting their extended families, mostly in New England, on both sides, or to just go on vacation for up to almost a few weeks once a year if they got the opportunity. I filed all of this without legal aid because I can't afford a lawyer.
The response I got from my ex-wife's new lawyer was shocking and appalling. I am being accused of a ridiculous list of very nasty accusations that I absolutely did not do. I can disprove this nonsense, but I'm in over my head as family law is not my field. The stated goal of these accusations is to revoke all of my custody and force me to complete a batterers course and parenting course before I'm eligible to regain supervised visitation. I have my speculations about the hidden agendas as well. I was finally able to seek an hour legal counsel, and though it was helpful and very informative, I have been advised that I must get a lawyer to represent me, or I will undoubtedly lose my children. There was a lot more included in that hour intro to family law hearings, but I can't elaborate on anything else at this time. I have nothing valuable or liquidable enough to cover even half the cost of the retainer, and it's at least a two hour drive one way to the only lawyer I could find that could fit me into their schedule. It's also an hour and a half to the courthouse where I have to file paperwork. I'm completely ineligible for any bank loan, and I have no other option but to ask for help.. and I'm on a very very short time constraint. If I don't try everything, every possible way to fight for my kids and our relationship, I will regret it for the rest of my life. So please, whether I know you yet or not, even if it's only a little bit, I would greatly appreciate any help.
Humbly,
Andy
Organizer
Andrew Polland
Organizer
Talkeetna, AK