Ex Wants Me to Pay for Her Attorney and Filed a Motion
My question involves a child custody case from the State of: Washington
I recently filed for child support from my ex-girlfriend, when she was served she got an attorney and file a motion to have our temporary parenting plan changed & she wants her attorney paid for. My question is what are the odds I will have to pay for hers? I make about 75,000 and she makes about 40,000 - 45,000. She claims she can not afford her attorney because she has to pay for her other attorney because she broke a protection order i had against her. She claims she didn't and I should have to pay for her attorney in our parenting case because she has to go to court for the violation and can not afford both. Not sure if it will make a difference but because all of this happened I had to put my house up for short sale/foreclosure and I am on the hook for about $185,000 right now. Also I have a truck that is in my name that she use to drive. I did get a friend to take over payments, but still I'm still liable for it and that is about $20,000. I do have a a few thousand in the bank, but i have more in debt (credit card & line of credit). I have not paid them off because if i do the bank may lower my limits once the house is resolved. Then I would have no savings and nothing to borrow. It should also be noted I have majority custody of our toddler daughter and she has her for two overnights a week, which her original lawyer offered to us for a temporary parenting plan. This plan has been in place for 3 months. Sorry for the long winded explanation, just wanted to see a second opinion on what someone else might think. I should also say I have my own lawyer that I am already paying for, which I have used up over half of my savings in 3 months to pay for.
Re: Ex Wants Me to Pay for Her Attorney and Filed a Motion
Have your attorney respond to the motion appropriately and argue against the claim for fees.
Her petition will be predicated upon legal authority - what legal authority did she recite in her motion that would arguably support the award of lawyer fees?
Re: Ex Wants Me to Pay for Her Attorney and Filed a Motion
Her argument is that she can not afford it because she has to pay for another attorney because she violated a protection order I had against her. She says she did not violate it (it was a third party violation) and it is my fault for her having to go to court. There is more than enough evidence for the prosecutor to file the charges, which they did. She never really gave any other reason except for she can't afford a lawyer and I have more money than her. She also filed along with this for more visitation with our child. Her previous lawyer came to us, offering 2 overnight a week for her and we agreed to it. Now she is stating she never wanted that and wants more visitation. She says our child is clingy and not sociable with other kids. Which is the complete opposite when she is in my care the majority of the week. They try to paint a picture of an unhappy, screaming child, which is the furthest thing from the truth. She just claims it is in the child's best interest to be with her half the time and it is an unfair temp parenting plan (which she agreed to 3-1/2 months ago) and that we used a protection order to get it.