Q: My sister is getting a divorce, can her soon to be ex, make her pay a fee whenever he has to clean up after her?
My sister is a full-time mom, she homeschools their son, does house cleaning for others, and is expected by her husband to have the house cleaned and food on the table by the time he gets him. Right now through, my sister is trying to divorce him because he is emotionally and psychologically abusive to her and her son, which she hasn't been able to prove yet and he knows this. Anyways, she made her son dinner and hadn't had the chance to clean up after herself, and he got mad and told her that if he has to clean up or do anything for her, she will have to pay him a cleaning fee. He also wants to be reimbursed for buying groceries and pet food, and he wants her to sign a contract saying that she will pay him for cleaning and buying groceries and pet food. Is he legally allowed to ask this of her? They haven't filed for divorce yet, he doesn't want to go to court so they have been going to mediation. Any advice would be great. Thank you!
A: The husband is guilty of manipulation and severe, emotional abuse of your sister and (probably) their son. Idaho, like most other states can give your sister a divorce for FAULT reasons, not just "irreconcilable differences" which is "no fault." IN a divorce, if your sister, puts on evidence like you have just related, she will get a divorce based on FAULT. FAULT, during the marriage is defined as "severe emotional and/or physical abuse," "chronic drunkenness," adultery, abandonment etc. and her abusive husband may find himself paying all of her attorney fees, or giving her more equity in the home they have to sell, than the abusive husband etc., as a means of punishing him for all the harm he did to his family, during their miserable marriage.
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