Custodial Dad needs a lawyer
Donation protected
Let me begin by saying I wouldn’t be doing this if I knew we could handle this ourselves, but at this point, we are really in need of help. My name is Schuyler (Sky-ler.) I have two sisters, a step-mother, and an incredible father.
Six years ago, my Dad pulled me and my sisters out of a hoarded home. DYFS had told him, for our safety, we needed to be out of that situation, given my mother had been physically abusive and the environment wasn’t healthy for three growing children. We moved into a different home, a divorce was filed, and we truly believed we could get on with our lives. My youngest sister was five years old then, so my father was forced to resign from his job to become a full-time father. He received child support from his ex-wife, and he paid the agreed alimony every week.
When my youngest sister was finally in school, he began to look for work, and took jobs as they came. He was never employed for a long-term period. Our finances were never the same due to the cost of the divorce, as well as my dad filing for bankruptcy when he had to be a single parent. Still, his ex-wife berated him with lawsuits to try and get the money he truly didn’t have.
Since then, he has reduced his living expenses as much as possible, actively pursued employment, and sold much of the furniture and house items just to come up with the alimony she has continually sued them every year for. While she has also tried to gain custody of my sisters, and thankfully failed, most recently she has asked the judge to issue a warrant for my father’s arrest due to his inability to make her alimony payments. He’s not doing this by choice, as he has exhausted his retirement savings and bank accounts in an effort to make these payments. Despite the fact he is the primary parent and caregiver for my sisters, and is trying to make means work however possible, she still seeks his arrest. It’s my honest belief that she will never stop these lawsuits until she sees him handed a punishment he does not deserve.
The judge last week made it clear to him that if he wanted to be successful in changing the current rulings, he had better get a lawyer. We have absolutely no funding for the $7,500 needed for a lawyer and this is why I’m asking for any help you can give. This is a time-sensitive issue, as he has been given a deadline of thirty days to challenge the ruling, or pay the amount owed, which is $25,000.
My sisters need my dad home. He has given everything up for his family’s safety and it makes me sick to think that he will be thanked for all of his sacrifices with jail time. We truly just want this harassment and chaos to be behind us so that we can finally move on as a family, almost ten years later.
We’re immensely grateful for any help you can provide.
Six years ago, my Dad pulled me and my sisters out of a hoarded home. DYFS had told him, for our safety, we needed to be out of that situation, given my mother had been physically abusive and the environment wasn’t healthy for three growing children. We moved into a different home, a divorce was filed, and we truly believed we could get on with our lives. My youngest sister was five years old then, so my father was forced to resign from his job to become a full-time father. He received child support from his ex-wife, and he paid the agreed alimony every week.
When my youngest sister was finally in school, he began to look for work, and took jobs as they came. He was never employed for a long-term period. Our finances were never the same due to the cost of the divorce, as well as my dad filing for bankruptcy when he had to be a single parent. Still, his ex-wife berated him with lawsuits to try and get the money he truly didn’t have.
Since then, he has reduced his living expenses as much as possible, actively pursued employment, and sold much of the furniture and house items just to come up with the alimony she has continually sued them every year for. While she has also tried to gain custody of my sisters, and thankfully failed, most recently she has asked the judge to issue a warrant for my father’s arrest due to his inability to make her alimony payments. He’s not doing this by choice, as he has exhausted his retirement savings and bank accounts in an effort to make these payments. Despite the fact he is the primary parent and caregiver for my sisters, and is trying to make means work however possible, she still seeks his arrest. It’s my honest belief that she will never stop these lawsuits until she sees him handed a punishment he does not deserve.
The judge last week made it clear to him that if he wanted to be successful in changing the current rulings, he had better get a lawyer. We have absolutely no funding for the $7,500 needed for a lawyer and this is why I’m asking for any help you can give. This is a time-sensitive issue, as he has been given a deadline of thirty days to challenge the ruling, or pay the amount owed, which is $25,000.
My sisters need my dad home. He has given everything up for his family’s safety and it makes me sick to think that he will be thanked for all of his sacrifices with jail time. We truly just want this harassment and chaos to be behind us so that we can finally move on as a family, almost ten years later.
We’re immensely grateful for any help you can provide.
Organizer
Barrett Peck
Organizer
Garwood, NJ