Q: I'm looking for a free consultation meeting with a Salem Oregon attorney. I would like to file for a divorce.
My husband lives in California and I have moved back to my home state of Oregon. We were married for 15 years when we separated. During that time we were married I did live in California.
Now the interesting part.
Hes disappeared on every aspect you may know. I do have his SSA and last address.
I believe hes come into a little money and I would like to know this and divorce him.
He hides very well especially on the internet.
He would tell me every now and then he was hiding from the government. Strange, isn't it.
So let's do this, but I'm low income, but I was hoping for a little space and work with me. I'd like him to cover the expenses, if we can.
A:
You can file for a divorce in Oregon if all you want is to be declared divorced. You may need to pay for the assistance of an Attorney to figure out how to serve your husband. An Oregon Judge can order a method of substituted services based on your affidavit of your best ideas to notify your husband. Get an Attorney to help you with this.
Oregon has no jurisdiction over your husband so an Oregon court cannot order him to pay you money or disclose his finances. If you want more then just being declared divorced you have to figure out what State your husband is currently living in and file in that State because that is the State Court which is most likely to have jurisdiction over him. I don't know about other States but in Oregon it isn't cost effective to hire an Attorney and expect that the courts will order your husband to pay your legal fees and court costs. You will be on the hook for these fees and the court may or may not order your husband to pay you something. Meanwhile you increase your legal bill as your Attorney will charge you to go to court to argue these issues.
You could invest money in hiring an investigator to see if they can locate your husband and to see if they find any information as to assets your husband may have acquired. Investigators can run pretty cost efficient data base searches so that might be worth paying for. If nothing turns up you can get forms on line or from the courthouse an then pay for a single consultation with a lawyer to help you fill out the forms and figure out how to serve your husband.
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