I need your advice

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2006
I need your advice
4
Wed, 03-29-2006 - 5:22pm

Hi girls,
i am new. I need your help.
I am getting divorced. My husband and I have been living apart for two years (no official separation) in some stupid hope of reconciliation. Now we have decided to finally get divorced. I was thinking it would all be amicable, but...
I am a graduate student with a very small income. My husband is making about 4 times more than I am. After we started to live separately, we also separated our finance, so he only dealt with his income, and I - with mine. I am very frugal by nature, and I stopped to ever go out, etc. - and I have managed to save about 10K. Seriously, I only see meat may be twice a month - I brownbag boiled pasta for lunch.
So now I heard trough the grapevine that my soon-to-be ex is planning to sue me for my savings. It's hard to believe, and it is a shock and a blow.
What do I do? Would an attorney deal with me for free? How do I get an attorney?

any advice would be appreciated,
Aurora

Avatar for momtojoeybear
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 03-29-2006 - 8:48pm

Hello...

You mention that you are in grad school... good for you! You probably have more resources at your fingertips than you realize... does your school have a law school associated with it? I think some of the law students at my alma mater helped staff a law clinic where you could get some information... and guidance, which is especially important in determining your rights...

Another resource is your state's legal aid program, which provides low to no cost representation to those with lower incomes. There are many good attorneys in these programs as many of them pay off loans as part of the benefits for working there...

Good Luck and let us know how things go!

Julie

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-28-2004
Wed, 03-29-2006 - 9:43pm

Hi Aurora,

I got a divorce a little over a year ago and did it in a fairly frugal manner so I'll share my two cents with you. If the total sum of what you guys are going to fight over is "only" (I know its a lot of cash, but in the larger scheme of things its not that great) $10,000 your ex will probably back down if you can get any sort of legal representation. I know that I had to pay my lawyer a $2500 retainer before we could even think of going to court. So if you are willing to fight and the most he can hope to get is half (i.e. $5000) he should back down because he will end up spending more than that in legal fees. The key is, of course, he has to believe that you will pay an attorney $5000 so that you can avoid giving it to him.

I wish you the best of luck.

Michael

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 9:20am

Well.... hopefully, your savings is well documented, and you can show that this money was saved after you started living separately.


Karen ~ wildlucky4me ~

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2006
Thu, 03-30-2006 - 9:34am
Girls, thank you so much for your responses. Now I have some basic understanding of where to look. And it is very comforting to me (in this lonely time) that you cared to answer. Thanks for being there!
Aurora