Why Your Support Matters

My mother has spent her entire life caring for us, protecting us, and surviving things no one should ever have to endure. She has been silenced by abuse, silenced by attorneys, and silenced in court.

I am asking for help because she cannot keep fighting alone.

I am asking for help because she deserves justice.

I am asking for help because she deserves to be heard.

If you can donate, share, or simply read our story — thank you. Your support means more than you will ever know.

PUBLIC REQUEST FOR SUPPORT

My name is Margarita Salazar, and I am reaching out on behalf of my mother, who urgently needs support as she continues to fight through an overwhelming and heartbreaking divorce case. My mother is a hardworking woman raising three daughters on her own. She has sacrificed everything to protect us and keep us safe, yet the legal system and the attorneys she trusted have failed her in ways no one should ever experience.

My mother has already had two attorneys.

The first was a court‑appointed lawyer who initially organized basic documents but then stopped communicating with us entirely. She never informed my mother of upcoming court dates, causing her to miss important hearings without even knowing they existed. Every time my mom tried to reach her, the calls went to voicemail or were answered by an assistant who always said the attorney was “not in the office” or “out of town.” My mother felt abandoned, confused, and completely alone during one of the most stressful times of her life.

Because of this, my mom had no choice but to hire a private attorney—something she could barely afford. She is raising three girls, paying all the bills on her own, and covering property taxes on the only home where her name is on the title. My father stopped paying those taxes and left the debt on her shoulders.

We had to move into this property because my father has a long history of domestic abuse toward my mother. He is controlling, manipulative, and has always kept his financial information hidden from her. He has passwords for everything and refuses to share any details about his expenses, even when legally required.

My mother’s second attorney, Francisco Martinez Jr., promised he would help her. She paid him $5,000, and he assured her she would not owe anything more. At first, he seemed supportive—he organized the documents from the previous lawyer and requested financial information from my father. But my mom could not provide what she did not have, and my father refused to cooperate. Even when the attorney emailed my father, he received no response—only occasional communication from my father’s lawyer.

A full year passed before my father’s attorney finally sent financial documents, and even then, the information was unclear and incomplete. After that, Attorney Martinez scheduled a mediation, which my mom had to pay a significant amount of money for. At the end of the mediation, both parties failed to reach an agreement. My mom requested child support for my two minor sisters, maintenance for the years my father stopped paying bills during the marriage, and two of the three properties my father owns. She is simply asking for what is fair after all the years of abuse she endured.

My dad only agreed to pay the taxes on the house and give her one property—no child support, no maintenance, nothing else. My mom said even the mediator was speechless because of my dad’s unfairness and stubbornness. The mediator stated that my dad should be contributing 75% because my mom is raising us alone and had to endure his violence.

I also want to share that my dad never allowed my mom to work when they were together. She was left alone in the house to take care of three girls and was only allowed to pay my dad’s bills when he asked her to. When he was out of town for work, he would send her only $20 for gas, food, and our needs. He worked at the oil rigs and only came home on weekends. My mom was not allowed to go shopping, work, see friends, or even go to the doctor because my dad restricted her every move.

After all these years, my mom discovered she has a tumor in her pelvic area the size of a melon. I am heartbroken and angry that my dad made her suffer for so long. My mom used to buy our clothes from yard sales because that was all she could afford. She still wears the same old clothes from years ago. Yet my dad would treat her kindly only when he wanted to have sex with her. He would get jealous when we needed attention from our mother and would tell her to leave us alone and focus only on him. My mom never abandoned us and refused to obey him. This would make my dad furious and led to terrifying arguments in front of us. There was yelling, throwing objects, and when my mom locked herself in a room, he would try to break down the door. He would also unlock the door where my mom slept to get to her and touch her even when she did not want him to. She reported this to the police, but they told her they could not do anything because she was married to him.

One of my sisters was also molested by my dad. We opened a case, but they said there was not enough proof. My sister waited months to speak up because she was terrified my mom would confront my dad and he would do something worse.

We are currently trying to get therapy, but we are still waiting to hear if we qualify. I suffer from severe anxiety attacks that come out of nowhere. I am exhausted and overwhelmed. We need help.

Attorney Francisco M. told my mom he was going to set up another mediation, but my mom asked why, since nothing was agreed upon in the first one. She would also have to pay more money for it. He kept telling my mom to accept what my dad was offering because there was nothing else he could do, and that she would have to pay him more money if she wanted anything done. He even brought in another lawyer because of issues regarding the property my mom is fighting for. He asked my mom for another $5,000 to get started. My mom does not have that money. She stood her ground and told him that it has been two years with no progress, and now he is asking for more money after promising to help her.

My mom asked him if she could get maintenance for herself and told him she has pictures, videos, and text messages of my dad’s threats and domestic violence. He told her it was not useful for her case. I am so confused about the Texas court system. My mom is losing hope, and Francisco M. decided to drop her case because she would not pay him more money.

She is now trying to find another lawyer. She sought help from Legal Aid, but they told her she has to appeal because Francisco M. left a comment saying she was an “unsatisfied client.” I am not sure what else he added, but now my mom cannot receive help. She is afraid to hire another attorney but needs one as soon as possible. At her last court date on April 1st, she had to represent herself.

When we went to court, everything seemed normal. The judge would call out the case number and the names of both parties. But when it was our turn, the judge did not say anything. Instead, my dad’s attorney announced the case number using the wrong names. We did not know if it was our turn, but eventually my mom stood up and asked for clarification. My dad’s attorney immediately told the judge that my mom needed a lawyer to speak and that she would reject anything my mom said.

The judge only speaks English, and my mom speaks Spanish. My mom had written a card for the judge asking for a jury trial and stating she wanted to represent herself. The translator approached her, and the judge asked what she had in her hand. My mom told the translator it was a letter for the judge. The translator told him, and the judge said he did not want to read it and that she needed a lawyer. He seemed upset with my mom, even though the letter explained she wanted to represent herself.

My dad’s attorney kept talking over my mom, telling the judge she would reject everything my mom said. I raised my hand and asked the judge if I could speak. I explained what was in the letter. The judge looked even more upset and told us my mom had until May 6 to hire an attorney. He said my dad’s attorney would exchange information with us, and that was final.

After the case was dismissed, we waited outside the courtroom for my dad’s attorney to give us her information. We watched her talk to my dad and his mother, and then she walked away from us. I stopped her and told her the judge asked her to give us her information. She said she did not have her business card and walked away again. I stopped her again and asked for her phone number. She sighed and gave it to me. As I typed it, I saw a business card fall to the floor. I do not know if she threw it or if my dad did, but she looked at me and said it was her card. I had to pick it up off the floor. I felt humiliated, like they were mocking me.

I am heartbroken by how cruel people can be. I feel hopeless, and I want to help my mother, but we do not know what rights she has or what steps to take next in her divorce.