Dear diary.....
Been 24 hours but Im still steaming, so allow a mini rant here...
I posted maybe a year ago about my having to petition for emergency custody of my kids. Since I got my kids, I've been the sole provider. I'm not complaining about that. I'm fortunate enough to have a job that allows me to do so - although times are sometimes tight, like the next couple of months when they all have birthdays and we school shopping etc. My ex wife doesn't work and doesn't even try to provide for the kids. She is basically homeless, bouncing around between her family and friends couches I guess.
When she had custody from our divorce, she was getting child support and spousal support from me. When I got custody, the child support got terminated (obviously) but the spousal support was only suspended. We've got to court over that now twice. I've told two different judges that I'm willing to not ask for child support if she'd be willing to drop the spousal. She refuses and when i told her if she didn't drop the spousal, I would ask for CS... her reply was "go ahead and try, you'll not get any." Sent me that via text like she's proud to be a dead beat.
Despite testifying that her disability claim was rejected, despite it being proven that she maintained a YMCA membership for the past several years (minus the past year or so), despite having employment records that show she was eligible for rehire in the school system (she was a teacher the duration of our marriage), despite testifying she hasn't even applied for a job since 2015 (we've been seperated since 2013 and divorced since 2014) - the first judge flat out refused to terminated the spousal support.
I appealed to the circuit court and we went back yesterday. She shows up without a lawyer and was nothing but disrespectful to me, my lawyer, and even the judge. The judge had to explain things to her repeatedly. The baliff had to instruct her to stand, or sit, or remain behind her table etc multiple times. She would be presented with evidence in plain black and white, and she would deny it and say it wasn't true or that the courts shouldn't even have that information because it was private. Judge had to explain that it was all available by soupena, and my ex would argue that "it wasn't fair." Etc Etc Etc
I could go on. It was a **** show. Even this judge elected to just continue our case until October. He said because she said she is petitioning her denial for disability, that he wants to give her time to get that resolved. He also said he wants to see what my income is closer to the end of the year. In the meantime, I have to send another 3k to the courts for a bond to cover the what would be arrears spousal support, within the next thirty days. And of course I have to give my lawyer probably another 1-2k at least.
I mean, I'm just so frustrated. I'm no saint but I'm a single dad, have a career, no criminal history, don't drink or use drugs, I literally just work, provide as best for my kids. My ex is an intentionally underemployed alcoholic who is a perpetual victim, takes zero accountability for anything, has zero involvement with her children save for about a 20 minute awkward phone call with the kids each week.... and I have to fight tooth and nail just to end spousal support. I mean, as bad as she came off yesterday - I'm convinced that if the judge didn't dismiss it then, then he's just not going to.
I don't get the court systems at all. The logic is so beyond fcked up.
