Q: Two years ago my son-in-law was arrested for assaulting my daughter and putting a gun in her mouth.
She was manipulated by him and his family and dropped the charges. (He has been arrested for assault in the past for fights.) Now he is again having an affair and acting like he did then. He was just medically retired from Air Force. He stays home with three children (9, 7, and 3) while she works. He left them alone at least one day that we know of. She is ready to file for divorce. However, she’s scared of him somehow getting custody of the kids and she’s scared of him. She doesn’t know how to file and get out. She doesn’t have money put away for this either. Where can she get legal help and advice? All of us (her family) are scared for her safety and don’t want the kids to be scared.
A:
I am sorry this is happening to your family member.
If she is ready to file for divorce, but is not financially able to hire an attorney, she could contact legal aid in her county. As long as she meets the income requirements, they may be able to accept her case and provide legal representation at no charge. Some offices will give preference to a party in a domestic violence situation.
If legal aid in her area is not able to assist, maybe the family as a whole could provide some financial assistance to help her get out of this scary situation.
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