Q: My husband abandoned me seven years ago. II believe he is remarried. What should my course of action be?
I do not know where he resides. We do not own property together or have children.
A:
The asker must file for divorce. In the worst case, the asker may die, and her husband will inherit an intestate share of her property assuming the asker does not have a will. Even if the asker had a will, the husband could get his elective share of the asker's property. Saying there is no property is taking a naive look at one's life's accomplishments and accumulation of wealth.
Marriage is not a joke. It is a serious shifting of entitlement to money and property, and the state has no idea of whether the couple reside together or have split decades ago. In the eyes of the state, the parties are married until death do them part, and when death comes knocking, property splits.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
