Sara* is homeless. She lives in a minivan that is parked nightly in a church parking lot. She recently wanted a divorce from her husband, Don* as they had been separated after 2 ½ years of marriage. She admitted to a background that includes past drug abuse. But that didn’t justify the physical abuse Don put her through. She was proud of being clean and wanted to tie up this loose end.
But she had no idea where her husband was. Legal Aid attorneys conducted a diligent search, located an address for Don, and successfully served him. His handwritten response was full of blame. Repeated formal efforts were made to secure Don’s payroll records from his small business employer, to depose his employer and to depose Don. All efforts failed. A Final Hearing was scheduled for two weeks later, and a notice was mailed to him.
This caught Don’s attention. An attorney contacted us on his behalf. We came to an agreement that provided Sara with title to the van and lump sum alimony to be paid over the course of one year. Sara was thrilled since she simply wanted a divorce. The Final Hearing took place as scheduled.
*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of our clients.