Q: My husband has been mean to me, saying nasty things in the presence of the children. I know that is damaging to the children so I finally caved in to his demands and moved out. Since then he has changed the locks, cut off my credit cards and drained the joint bank accounts. Now he insists we not hire attorneys and that we go to mediation to handle our divorce. What should I do?
A: Apparently you have been trying to accommodate your husband, even to your own detriment. He sounds very controlling which is an indicator of an abusive person. You should obtain the best attorney you can afford to start protecting yourself. Unless there is an order preventing you from entering the residence you may move back in if that is your desire. You also need to get a written schedule regarding the children so the parenting plan is concrete and not subject to his whim. Each spouse has a fiduciary duty owed to the other which requires that he account to you for all the funds he withdrew so you can claim your one half interest. If the mediator is strong and independent then mediation may help you resolve the case. If the mediator is merely a test run by your husband to see if you will agree to his terms (no matter how unreasonable) then you will probably end up in litigation which could be a very good thing if you want to maximize your result. Contact the experienced attorneys at Burke & Domercq, APC APC in Carlsbad @ www.dburkelaw.com to schedule an informative interview and appointment so you understand the process, the issues and how to obtain a beneficial likely result.
