You gave the women and also her 5 little children a chance. Must have been a challenging time foe you also.

When I pushed back (hard), he called me a Bitch. I still wear it like a medal.

You very likely saved lives.

the kids. You made sure that happened and I am very happy to hear this.

In some locales, the courts are not so enlightened, and/or there are simply only enough resources for the kids to be placed in a safe environment and not to support both WITH their similarly victimized mother. My former SO provided legal services in several of those circumstances and was all too often thwarted in what he was trying to do. I was horrified hearing about it, but these are the realities around the country. Even in blue states. I understand children coming first at all costs, but to ignore the primary victim--the mother--and thus the needs of the kids to be raised by their mother because they lack resources or staff to supervise the situation is one of the biggest failings of our society. I have to say that (at least in my area) ALL involved would agree but when violence is part of the equation and the kids are at lethal risk, well, sadly your outcome is not always achieved.

1. Child Protection
2. The husband
3. The foster parents
4. The kids (because the foster parents were rich and they preferred their lifestyle)
5. My client who was shell-shocked and brainwashed
6. The first judge admitted that he saw the issue as 50/50 and decided to "rule on the side of caution".

He and Dump must be kept out of the White House at all costs

I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out how this was going to turn out.

Kudos, you did good!

I did a good thing. I feel pretty good about it. I think that might be the best thing I’ve done in several years maybe longer. I mean, I do a lot. I try to help, but you never know if it’s really going to make it difference or ease suffering, any of it.

What you did on the other hand makes you a real live angel in on Earth in my eyes, and I’m very sure you’re going to heaven if there is one

I'm certain your good deeds are remembered gratefully.

but it’s what I have.

THANK YOU.

You are the type of lawyer for whom this world cries out. I salute you and, though not a lawyer, I hope that I may service those in need as well as you have.

until the ring goes on. I know women who got sucked in. A few got out. Most didn't. They all make my heart ache.

I've lived a long enough life to know the only thing any of those men ever learns when a beaten wife breaks free is "get a younger one the next time."

and with resources to help these poor people

Husband responding to my client's distress that they in fact were about to lose their children in court:

"It's all right. We'll make other children."

I don’t understand how anyone can view their children as replaceable. That’s sickening.

That guy deserves a lifetime in prison. AND castration.

Thank you for saving the woman and her children.

I guess I don't get it. Her husband trapped her and their children in the house, battered and raped her, and was so traumatized by his abuse and control she couldn't be in the courtroom with him at the same time he was there, but she "...gladly went along with him with no complaints."

I'm glad she was able to escape her abuser.

Did he go to jail for his crimes against her?

abuse)

This post has struck a long buried nerve in me. In the 50's, 60's and even the 70's until the women's movement took hold, almost every wife was a 'Trad' wife. And many women have stories: Stories about husbands beating them, raping them, taking control of their money, keeping them from working outside the home or educating themselves, monitoring their 'free' time. Some just came home and smacked their wives around because they had a bad day at work. Essentially many trad wives were prisoners, not just of their husbands but of society as a whole.

And, parents, siblings, and friends stayed out of it. As for lawyers, I have my own story about one of them, too. You see, the prevailing attitude was if your husband was mistreating you, it must be your fault. You, the beaten down, the overworked, the slapped around must be doing something to deserve this, Or worse, they blamed you because you had the bad judgement to marry the bum in the first place. Until the women's movement, there was very little support for women in these situations. Society SHAMED you for being beaten, controlled, stalked, and often raped, which was the husband's right, by the way.

All that changed for me when I read Simone de Beauvoir's book, Second Sex. I recommend everyone read it, but especially women. It will clear the cobwebs from your psyche and give you a very different view of yourself.

One final word, there are many, many fine men out there. I raised one myself. I thank God for them. To women I say, be very discerning in your choices and listen to that little voice that keeps telling you, something is 'off' here. Peace.

You are a saint !

I was married briefly to a guy who had those attributes and luckily got out of that marriage without having children with him. After I remarried my current husband of 35 years the ex was remarrying and he sent me annulment papers because I took birth control while we were married ( every time I talked to my Mother she reminded me to stay on birth control pills) I took those annulment papers and threw them in the garbage. I saw a picture of him and his wife on Facebook. He didn’t age well !

Thank you first for the wonderful work you did. And then thank you for telling the saga.

I was an abused wife and mine kept me barefoot & pregnant through two babies... I ran when they were 22 and 9 months old. My ex was already groomng the 2 year old for sexual abuse. I found my computer filled with kiddie porn and since it was CA it was only a misdemeanor!

I hope that part of the new Kamala Administration will have more access and assistance for those in need...

Too many in a domestic violence relationship that should not be.

More better stories for women in those situations.

He enters the reality of people..destroys their life..make them miserable and then blames everyone else....

I knew a few women who went through the hell you described. Some had help from other family members, and others had to go it alone. Thank goodness all the women I knew made it out alive. So many women don't. No woman should go through that, ever! Thank you for sharing her story. Thank you again for all you did for your client and her family.

I don't have the words. But you did a monumental thing in helping a fellow human being escape from a human monster.

Against all odds you saved that woman and reunited her with her children. There is a special place in heaven for people like you.

I don't know if you could, but I hope you had a chance to follow her and her children's lives after they were reunited.

You are a hero to me.

She's a single mother. Three of the five children went to college, one with a scholarship.

She returned to court to get child support and her ex-husband has no legal rights to the children, obviously no visitation rights.

Ex-husband re-married and his new wife found out what a jerk he was and divorced him as well.

3 out of her 5 children went to college. I hope good fortune continues for the family.

until I got to the end of this!!! Whew...

Thank you for the work you did, and for sharing this heart-wrenching tale.