My ex hired one of the most aggressive attorneys in IL. This lawyer has been accused of bribing judges, GALs, Parenting Coordinators, Family Therapists, Sheriffs, and police. I feel like I’ve been completely screwed over. Between support payments, college expenses, rent for my kid’s college, extracurricular activities for another child, and their cell phone bills, I’m left with only 27% of my paycheck. Is there any way to fight this? My lawyer is technically not pro-bono, but it feels like it. I think he’s given up under the pressure from my ex’s attorney. Does this state really expect someone to survive on just 27% of their paycheck?
I can’t believe someone is ordered to pay for college.
Tate said:
I can’t believe someone is ordered to pay for college.
Why not?
Just sent you a message. There’s a federal lawsuit right now about bribery involving Beermann, including judges, GALs, and police.
Fire your lawyer and get a new one. I had to go through 4 or 5 attorneys during my two-year ugly divorce. My ex also hired a sleazeball attorney in the area.
Illinois can be brutal with child support and parental rights. I’ve known people who moved to another state just to avoid some of this before even discussing divorce.
Just curious, which lawyer are you talking about? Illinois and Chicago seem full of aggressive, sometimes unethical family attorneys.
Hadley said:
Just curious, which lawyer are you talking about? Illinois and Chicago seem full of aggressive, sometimes unethical family attorneys.
Beermann Family Law.
Hadley said:
Just curious, which lawyer are you talking about? Illinois and Chicago seem full of aggressive, sometimes unethical family attorneys.
Fits right in with Illinois/Chicago politics, haha.
@Wynne
Yeah, it’s the lawyers’ world, and we’re just living in it, especially in Chicago.
By the way, check this story that just broke yesterday.
@Hadley
I constantly get texts from my ex saying he’s going to bankrupt me, that he’ll keep making me pay lawyer fees until I can’t afford to feed our kid. It’s crazy.
Luckily, I paid my lawyer a flat fee for the entire process until I have a judgment. Meanwhile, my ex hired some $500/hr hotshot lawyer.
@Daryl
Nice move.
It’s less about the percentage of your paycheck and more about how much each parent is contributing to the child’s support. Have you seen any documents or has your lawyer explained how the calculations were made?
The college expenses and rent stand out to me too. Also, when you say you’re left with 27%, is that 27% of your gross or net income? For example, if you earn $100k a year, after taxes and benefits, let’s say you’re left with $70k. If you have to pay 73% of that, you’re left with $19k, which is obviously not sustainable. If it’s 27% of your gross pay, it’s still tough, but a bit more manageable.
Either way, it sounds like a lot of money is at stake, and you don’t seem confident in your lawyer. You should consider getting a second or third opinion from another attorney, especially if your case isn’t finalized yet.
@Wynne
I agree with this. When I hired my firm, I made sure they had experience handling high-profile opponents. I interviewed a bunch of attorneys and found a firm that knew my ex-husband’s law firm and had gone up against them before. It has definitely helped. My ex knew he could push me around but couldn’t push my lawyers. It’s also important that your law firm knows the mediator and has experience with high-profile cases.