Preparing for meeting with lawyers...

Avatar for susieyippin
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-07-2003
Preparing for meeting with lawyers...
3
Fri, 12-09-2005 - 9:48pm

... and I'm getting all my info together-- job description, income from my business, how much I've contributed... It's a meeting at my lawyer's office, with STBX and his lawyer. STBX has been claiming that our storage business is 100% HIS. Well, I just spent the afternoon going over what I actually DO for the business, and this is what I came up with...

<<"Accompanied Bob to lawyer appointments in the fall of 2002; hearings in the fall of 2002 in preparation to opening the storage facility.

• Researched storage software and laws, and encouraged STBX to allow us to join MASSA, the Massachusetts Self-Storage Association.

• Since January 2003, monthly invoice preparation, including signing and folding the invoices, adding the pre-printed reply envelope, and the previous month’s receipts. Approximately 20 – 25 invoices per month; 240 – 300 invoices per year.

• Daily maintenance of storage software, including adjustments/payments, generating letters to customers.

• Entering customer data into storage program: new customers, current customer updates.

• Adding payments into storage program, including adjustments, discounts and rate changes

• Various letters to customers, including late notices, lien, notice of rate changes, policy changes. The frequency of this depends on how many customers are late on their accounts. Generally 5-10 late notices per month.

• Christmas cards to customers, including current and past customers during the year; approximately 35-45 per year.

• Buying/ordering various business supplies, including paper, ink, pens envelopes, stamps, filing systems, storage, etc. The storage program uses approximately 4-5 reams of paper per year, and approximately 4-5 cartridges of ink per year. I purchase paper and ink as needed. We use approximately 360 - 375 stamps per year for the storage business.

• In 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 I designed ads for various publications, including the Local weekly Paper, League of Women Voters Tri-town Blue Book, The Country Fair; brochures, flyers, website and email. I also dropped off the ads at the local paper.

• Maintenance of desktop and laptop computers, including yearly and periodic virus and firewall updates; virus scans; periodic defragging. The desktop computer is at home, and is used for the storage business. The laptop is at the shop, and is used for the U-Haul business.

• Periodic banking to deposit rental income, approximately twice a week for 2002-2005; accompanied STBX to set up the U-Haul account, and put my name on the account for that; and to put my name on the storage account.

• Mail: Dropping off mail, picking up mail, sending certified letters, sending return receipt letters.

• Document preparation for STBX when he had to go to court for a customer who defaulted: I printed out the customer’s transaction history from the point of move-in until the court date. I did this 2 or 3 times.
When a customer was threatening to sue us, claiming that her belongings were water damaged, I researched the weather for the date when she moved her things into her storage unit. As it turned out, she had moved in during a severe December storm, and her belongings were wet when she moved them in.

• Frequently assisted STBX when he got flustered using his laptop computer for the U-Haul business: he called me at home when he was with a U-Haul customer, and the laptop wouldn’t print out a receipt for the customer. Another time, he had lost the Internet connection to the U-Haul server, and called me to fix it for him.

• Gave STBX computer lessons so that he could have some basic computing skills.

• Designed and ordered the desktop system at home for the business in November 2002.

• Accompanied STBX to BestBuy to pick out the laptop for the U-Haul in 2003 or 2004.

• Purchased the printer for the notebook at the shop in 2003 or 2004.

• When we lived in the apartment at the shop, I would answer the phone daily for the salvage business; when we moved into our home in 1990, we installed a 2nd line at the house, with the salvage number. Several days a week I would answer the phone for the salvage business, and take messages.

• Purchased answering machines for the salvage and storage businesses in the 1900s and in 2002. I created the message on the answering machine, but STBX refused to use the machine, saying that people don’t leave messages . STBX also was unwilling to get a cell phone for the business. On a trip to pick up a U-Haul truck in Boston, the vehicle STBX was driving broke down. He had to walk 4 miles to the nearest phone. The next day, I lent him my cell phone while he made another trip to get a U-Haul vehicle. On several occasions, I stayed at the shop and answered the phone while Bob was out picking up vehicles and doing other business. As this was interfering with the operation of my own business, in December 2004 I purchased a cell phone for STBX to use while he was away from the shop. He has used this phone every day since it was purchased.">>

STBX's duties for the storage: Signing people in (usually gets the money due incorrect, and I have to correct it in our software program-- requires some finessing to get the numbers to reconcile); collecting their money; depositing their money. He doesn't even KNOW the passwords for the storage software, yet it's 100% HIS? LOL

I'm also doing a house expenses spreadsheet, and a plan for the divorce settlement. 2 weeks ago, my lawyer emailed me, and suggested that STBX & I sit down and try to come up with a plan. I spoke with him about it, and he said, "let the lawyers handle it!" The more the lawyers get involved, the higher their bills are, doofus... So, I sent hima return receipt letter, asking him to contact me in regards to discussing a settlement (sent a copy to my lawyer too ;-))

<<" 30 November 2005; Dear STBX: I would like to request that you and I meet so that we can come up with some kind of workable plan, so that we do not have to accrue any additional lawyer fees. I feel that this would be a good use of our time and resources, and our scheduled meeting at Hawley’s on December 14 will be more productive if we met at some point beforehand. Please let me know what time is convenient for you.">>

He hasn't contacted me yet. So he'll end up looking like a numbnuts who won't work with people. He already took 2 1/2 months to get the Discoveries and Interrogatories back, and acted like he did everything for the business. He's also jerked us around with his lawyer; and claiming his father owned the business, etc. The truth will come out soon. :-D




Edited 12/9/2005 9:52 pm ET by susieyippin
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sun, 12-11-2005 - 1:12am

That's an IMPRESSIVE "resume".... you've really put a lot of time into it.


Karen ~ wildlucky4me ~

Avatar for susieyippin
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-07-2003
Sun, 12-11-2005 - 10:53am
Thanks, Karen. It was sort of dumped in my lap... I'd been a SAHM for 16 years when STBX announced that we were suddenly plunking down 100K for a business expansion, because his daddy suggested it. He told me: "This is YOUR baby, you can take care of it." I had to teach myself everything. I'm not going to give it up without ample compensation. I think STBX is going to have a cow when we go to the lawyer's on Wednesday...
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sun, 12-11-2005 - 11:03am
and I'll bet he's never experienced childbirth... and a cow... well, that should be interesting to watch!

Karen ~ wildlucky4me ~