At what cost?

Just got my monthly legal bill. Grand theft legalized !

As I've mentioned, once you are a victim of aggressive antagonistic litigation, you slide down a slippery slope to legalized grand theft. Short of dropping dead, or leaving town with no forwarding address you really don't have any options. It is possible for opposing counsel to increase your costs through a variety of dirty tricks.

So after 18 months and $20K, what have I got?
Same thing as 18 months ago, nothing more!

Well, I have supported the economy. See it takes an industry to get a divorce.

• Three Lawyers
• Three magistrates, one trial judge
• Child Services Home Inspection
• Custody Evaluator
• Guardian Ad Litem
• Four cases (10 ream boxes) of discovery
• Four cases (10 ream boxes) of case files
• Hundreds (nearly 1000) of hours in case prep
  
• Medical experts
  
• Child counseling

Now that the pre-trial hearings are over, we've entered the initial Trial stage. At this stage the stakes go up. The bill for the first day and associated expenses $5K. The second day has occurred and the third day is scheduled. I believe a 4th will be scheduled. That's another $20K.

Wow $40K, big bill. Uh, that's just my bill. Her lawyer is more expensive than mine.

So if all goes well we're done right? Wrong, to avoid the third stage, I'm being asked to make a post-decree agreement. Continuing paying these other "industry specialists".

• Parenting Coach
• Mediator
• Child visitation supervisor

If this gets forced to the next stage - full trial, then what? Well the first stage doesn't count, it will all be repeated with more experts, witnesses, etc. Given the voracity of opposing counsel I could easily see this going over $30K, reaching a my half total of $70K with my wife pushing hard for her fees which would likely approach an additional $100K.

At that point I would loose everything and be homeless, just like she promised me before she left.

She is willing to sacrifice her son's future to "win" a full divorce banning me from their lives forever.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned !

My story is repeated daily, by both genders, of that I have no doubt.

At what cost complacency, acceptance, of a Domestic Relations System so badly broken?

My ancestors worked hard to improve each generation. I have failed miserably to uphold this tradition. The frustration and anguish of this failure is beyond description, at times almost unbearable.

I also worked hard to build a sound financial footing, so I could provide for the next generation, but I will be unable to make my son's life better than mine was.

Thanks to the broken system. That's the cost!