My question involves court procedures for the state of: Michigan
- Hello. This is a rather long story but I think it all leads up to a good case. I was born and raised in Michigan. I volunteered for the United States Navy was sent into action on board the USS Constellation just at the beginning at Operation Desert Storm. Like the time frame of 'Jarheads'.
- I was based out of San Diego, CA. 4 years then I was done. Went to college, using the GI Bill (God bless the legislator who passed that), got my Bachelor's and embarked on a pretty successful Residential Architectural career in Southern California. I caught the attention of a beautiful, majestic South African woman. I married her (Viva Las Vegas) and had two beautiful girls by her.
- Now the twist, if you will. I have a drug addiction to marijuana. It is the silliest of them all, I know, but I simply have no control of my using of it, hence the addiction part. I have had this problem ever since I was 18. I managed to stave it off in the Navy, where it re-emerged afterward and helped to end my first marriage. I battled through college with it. Until I met the South African Woman I was almost out of control with it (as in not getting arrested).
- When we gave birth to my first daughter, I stopped, cold and clean. For 4 years, I was clean. My wife and I did not date very long before getting married (about 3 months) and as such our marriage suffered for it. The fighting was almost constant and about the usual suspects: money, morals, parenting. It was not overall a very happy marriage at all.
- The economy fell apart in Southern California. My employment was terminated after a two week notice. My wife could not provide for roof and board with her steady but humble income. My parents, who had relocated to Pasadena earlier in the time I was living near San Diego, also found themselves without employment as well.
- Both families rented. So we packed up and brought everyone and almost everything back to Michigan. The economy here is terrible but our roots are very deep and I have had no large difficultly in providing roof and board for my family. I sought and sought employment but could not find any for a period of longer than 1 month. I continued to use. The stress at home was unbelievable. My wife started smoking again. Started drinking a little. The fighting was intensified.
- We had to separate. Both of us owned the fact that that marriage, as it was, was no fit place for a child. We had been going to marriage counselors and working on it at home on our own (Fireproof?). To no avail. There was some just took much conflict. The plan was then that she was going to take the kids and move into a home that is being provided for from my extended family. I could visit our children provided I made arrangements before to come. Not 15 minutes before either. So we were going to separate with the future unknown.
- The final twist. Almost done here, just a little bit more. The fellow living next door to me at the time is the Co-Owner for a drug rehab center here in Michigan. He smoked, she smoked. At the back door they began to talk. He wooed her or she turned her favors upon him. Either way it goes down it all comes out dirty.
- So, within a very short time frame she declared her love for another man. Spoke of promises of cars, cell phones, trips. She packed up and took the children to the house we had readied for her. Said they had not been physical but would be as soon as the divorce went through (that was his idea, from his experience, I think). I have seen my children only about 6 hours total since then (been about two weeks). I have been served papers and all that. yadda yadda yadda. Another forum.
- So here it begins:
- I did not know who the mystery man was until the very, very end. Why?
- He never approached me. He knew, beyond a shadow of all doubt, that I had a drug addiction. He is the co-owner of a drug re-hab center. He just took my wife and kids with no regard at all for my own recovery. This seems a pretty clear case of dereliction of duty with very little disregard for the public's welfare.
- He does not have a lisence that I know of to take this too. As he is the co-owner this becomes even trickier.
- My wife is leaving behind a financial nightmare. Thousands of dollars of cell phone bills, court fees, car payments, etc.
Do I have a case? Thank you for your time.

