Help needed for family divorce attorney funds

Hi, my name is Clara Howell and I'm fundraising on behalf of my mom. I've contemplated setting up a fundraiser for almost a year now because of the high sensitivity and gravity of the situation.

After four years of high conflict divorce trials, my family is in a large amount of debt. For legal reasons and the safety and privacy of my family, I can’t disclose full details publicly.

Something I've learned personally throughout this process is that the court system is unfair. My mom decided to turn her life upside down for the benefit of our family and for our mental health. The decision to separate herself from another human being shouldn't cost this much - both financially and emotionally. As a single, working mom, this has cost her way more than it should.

The last handful of years has taken an emotional and financial toll. Though the divorce was finally concluded at the end of 2021, my mom is being taken back to court regarding visitation and parenting rights. This has been an ongoing event since the divorce concluded.

My mom is now having to start over with a new judge, newly appointed to the bench, who knows nothing of the case and is taking this to trial.

My mom has completely exhausted all of her funds, including her entire retirement fund (she is 55). She also has thousands of dollars of credit card debt from continuous court appearances and responses to frivolous motions.

Right now, my mom needs help retaining her attorney, who has seen her through four years to get this taken care of. She needs to focus on paying her mortgage and keeping the family afloat.

Legal aid is not accepting any more family law clients. My mom has already contacted the Oregon State Bar and has a month to come up with $10,000 to retain the attorney. As you can imagine, the bills go far beyond that amount.

For those who have read this post or know my family and I personally, I appreciate all you do and have done. Preserving the mental health and safety of both my family and I is so important as we move forward. We really appreciate any help people can offer.