Community Forum

Dear Mr. “NeedHelpInIF,”

Sorry to hear about your terrible plight. Ouch.
Yes, I do know of a great attorney who may be able to help you. This lawyer, when my friend had to finally divorce his cheating wife not only got him custody of his two children but also the custody of his wife’s daughter whom he’d been raising since she was a toddler. The woman tried to take half his business but, the attorney prevented it from happening.

This fantastic, superb, extra especial attorney is Marvin Stucki. His office is located downtown, next to the court house. He’s a good man. You’ll like him. I’ve had him as an attorney also, but not as a divorce attorney. He won my case, too. Darn good lawyer!

No recommendation as I don’t know any family law attorneys but I’d recommend getting one quick. As a guy you already have two strikes against you in family court as the only times men get custody or equitable deals is when the women either doesn’t contest it or there is something drastically wrong with the woman and by that I’m talking in jail or the nuthhouse, adultery doesn’t mean much in family court as far as custody goes (not fair but its true).

A good attorney should be able to at least get the bills split. Also, unless she has papers already filed to the contrary there is nothing stopping you from moving into the empty house as its your house too. Idaho is a community property state for good and bad. That means her bills are your bills and vice versa but at the same time you get equal rights to all property.

Idaho also has a presumption for joint custody meaning both parents will have equal custody. Now that doesn’t always mean equal time as usually the woman will get primary physical custody but again unless there is court paperwork to the contrary you can easily get visitation.

The best thing to do if its not too late is be the first to file for divorce. If the woman files first the guy is pretty much dead in the water but if the guy files first he at least holds on to a slim chance of a fair deal.

To see how real the bias is, one need only look back at the case a couple years ago where a mom was given joint custody despite being declared mentally unstable and suicidal. Finally after trips to the nuthouse the dad got primary custody to which the mom responded on a visitation by trying to do a murder / suicide with her daughter by driving her car into the Snake river. The ice didn’t break though and they lived. The bias continued in criminal court where the mom was merely sentenced to probation despite trying to murder her child and she still gets visitation. A father would be in prison still over this.