My lawyer is not forthcoming on what she plans to do next.
Short history:
I left ex in July 2008 to go to the ER and then the women's shelter.
I hired a lawyer two weeks (Aug 2008) later to start the divorce with cause of abuse.
She didn't file until March 2009; there was a death in her family so she took a couple months off; plus she didn't want me to file with cause - although it was filed that way.
Ex got an attorney.
Divorce granted on the day of our 11th anniversary - ex didn't show up for court. His lawyer couldn't find him - had a stack of phonecons, e-mails and certified mail that ex had not accepted. Finally his lawyer went to his house and found him home.
Separation Agreement is now under case management. Gone to court 4 times and ex showed up for 3 of them - once he was drunk.
In early October, the judge made a motion ex had to start paying interim spousal support back-paid to the beginning of October 2009, pay the 13 months of non-payment on the credit card, allow an appraiser to appraise the family home, and give his lawyer a copy of his financial statement.
Ex lied to the appraiser - told him the house was 25 years old when it was 5; so it had to be reappraised. Unethical, but apparently not illegal.
When we were to go to court the beginning of December, my lawyer said none of those are done so his lawyer asked for a postponement and she agreed so I wouldn't have to pay for her fees since she said no progress would be made that day. I presume ex is in contempt of court. I asked my lawyer and she said she'd have to check. Because of that delay, we didn't go to court in November. December the docket is full with holiday visitation so the lawyer said it would be in January - but hasn't sent me the date yet.
We've been assigned a new judge - the third one since we started the divorce.
How long will the court allow ex to avoid doing his part to get this finalized? What is the normal course of action a judge would do in this situation to get ex to do his part? Is there anything I can do to hurry the process?
I just want to put this chapter of my life behind me.
Thanks for any help.
Hephzibah
Short history:
I left ex in July 2008 to go to the ER and then the women's shelter.
I hired a lawyer two weeks (Aug 2008) later to start the divorce with cause of abuse.
She didn't file until March 2009; there was a death in her family so she took a couple months off; plus she didn't want me to file with cause - although it was filed that way.
Ex got an attorney.
Divorce granted on the day of our 11th anniversary - ex didn't show up for court. His lawyer couldn't find him - had a stack of phonecons, e-mails and certified mail that ex had not accepted. Finally his lawyer went to his house and found him home.
Separation Agreement is now under case management. Gone to court 4 times and ex showed up for 3 of them - once he was drunk.
In early October, the judge made a motion ex had to start paying interim spousal support back-paid to the beginning of October 2009, pay the 13 months of non-payment on the credit card, allow an appraiser to appraise the family home, and give his lawyer a copy of his financial statement.
Ex lied to the appraiser - told him the house was 25 years old when it was 5; so it had to be reappraised. Unethical, but apparently not illegal.
When we were to go to court the beginning of December, my lawyer said none of those are done so his lawyer asked for a postponement and she agreed so I wouldn't have to pay for her fees since she said no progress would be made that day. I presume ex is in contempt of court. I asked my lawyer and she said she'd have to check. Because of that delay, we didn't go to court in November. December the docket is full with holiday visitation so the lawyer said it would be in January - but hasn't sent me the date yet.
We've been assigned a new judge - the third one since we started the divorce.
How long will the court allow ex to avoid doing his part to get this finalized? What is the normal course of action a judge would do in this situation to get ex to do his part? Is there anything I can do to hurry the process?
I just want to put this chapter of my life behind me.
Thanks for any help.
Hephzibah
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