Several years ago, somewhere in a neighborhood on Oahu, *Vanessa had quietly struggled in her marriage.
Her husband was violent towards her, causing her significant distress and fear for herself and her kids. It was an extreme case of physical and psychological abuse. In 2019, knowing that she could no longer continue living under such conditions, Vanessa sought the help of Legal Aid for a divorce and a TRO against her husband. Thanks to the diligent work of Staff Attorney Malia Alexander, a five-year Order for Protection against her husband was ordered by the court. This kept Vanessa and her children within a safe distance from him. Later, when Vanessa asserted a claim to her share of marital property, her husband retaliated by seeking to dissolve the Order for Protection. Managing Attorney Makia Minerbi successfully represented her. The court denied her husband’s motion, adopting Legal Aid’s argument that he had failed to allege a material change in circumstances, thus the Order for Protection would stand. “Vanessa felt relieved after the court’s decision because she didn’t want him through her door to drop off the kids,” explained Makia. “Before I came to Legal Aid, I knew very little about Hawai‘i Family Law,” said Vanessa, an immigrant whose first language is not English. “Legal Aid helped me understand the process and legalities of divorcing with children.” “Legal Aid changed my life,” she said. “I was comfortable asking questions and voicing my concerns without judgement. Everyone, not only myself but all parties involved, were treated with respect.”
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*Gabby, a part-Hawaiian single woman, used to live on the beaches of Waianae.
After over a decade, she finally afforded a two-bedroom apartment (shared with her brother) with assistance from the City and County’s Section 8 housing voucher program. To make sure she kept the apartment, Gabby religiously paid $85 every first of the month. The supplemental Section 8 housing voucher also arrived earlier than the due date. One day, to Gabby’s surprise, there was a notice on her front door informing her of late fees of $2,000, which were accumulated over two years. She was confused; she always paid on time and the housing voucher was always early. “When I saw the letter, I started to cry,” Gabby recalled. “I called the office right away but I did not get any call back. I even sent a certified letter and it came back with a ‘return to sender’ note. I was panicking.” For the next three weeks, Gabby tried to reach the property manager’s office for an explanation. There was no response. In the meantime, she also looked for financial assistance for the $2,000 she allegedly owed. If she didn’t pay the “late fees,” she feared she would be houseless again. Good thing Gabby contacted Legal Aid. In December 2022, Managing Attorney Russ Awakuni became her primary advocate. Russ immediately scheduled a meeting with the property management office’s resident manager and supervisor after receiving Gabby’s pertinent documentation and paperwork. “Russ clarified everything; I just listened to what he had to say,” said Gabby. “He had the lady on the computer and asked her how the breakdown went. He brought up the payment being encoded and who puts it in. They said they do only when they have the time because they are short-staffed and really busy in the office.” “We learned that the accounting department did not have the Notice of HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) contract in their files, so they held the checks and did not apply the monies to Gabby’s account,” Russ said. “Once they received a copy of the Notice, the issue was resolved and she was happy and relieved.” Due to Legal Aid’s help, Gabby did not need to pay any late fees and was able to stay in her apartment. Also, she decided to pay her monthly rent a few days earlier to avoid the same issue from happening again. She is no longer worried about the possibility of getting evicted and going back to the beach as a houseless person. “You know, Legal Aid is a miracle; they helped me live,” said Gabby. “I think that they’re awesome. They’re very helpful. My attorney worked really hard. I tried to make it easy for him to help me by doing the legwork and giving him all the papers that he needed.” Gabby now feels at peace, relieved and validated. She is focused on staying healthy and providing for herself. “I’m very happy. I would recommend Legal Aid to anybody who needs legal help.” Kiana only wanted one thing: to get full legal and physical custody of her son.
“I didn't know what process to take to reach my outcome,” said Kiana, who also did not have the finances to hire a lawyer. She was desperate when she called Legal Aid in January 2021. Legal Aid Staff Attorney Mary Pascual quickly mailed all necessary documents to process the custody case, giving detailed instructions to file everything. The goal was to serve the custody papers to the child’s father as soon as possible, so Kiana strived to search for him through a process server. But he was nowhere to be found; he had disappeared! (Prior to this, Kiana had a TRO served against him because he was abusive.) In October, Kiana contacted Legal Aid a second time for help. “She was worried she won’t be able to serve him,” said Mary, “and she was scared that he would try to fight for custody.” Legal Aid staff teamed up with Kiana to find the father, seeking out a process server to help in the search as they reached out to his mother, siblings, and employers, as well as utilized people search websites. “When the other party doesn’t show up and you showed that you tried everything, then she wins by default,” said Mary. Finally, in May 2022, Kiana did win at the custody hearing – her son’s father did not appear in court. “Kiana emailed me that she was crying after she was given full custody of her son,” Mary recalled. “She couldn’t believe that she got everything she wanted. She was super happy. I think it gives her a sense of relief that the dad can’t just come back and take him from her.” Having full legal custody, not just physical custody, means Kiana will not need to contact her son’s father for important decisions like education, religion and medical care. “I am so grateful for the support and help,” she said. “Attorney Mary Pascual helped me personally and I can't thank her and her staff enough. They are quick to respond and have very friendly staff. Legal Aid will always be there for you and help you in any way possible.” Now, Kiana knows her son is safe with no visitation rights from his father. Her son also now carries her last name. “Legal Aid Hawaii helped me with everything,” said Kiana. “Legal Aid helped me gain confidence of my situation and gave me the tools, resources and guidance I needed for a smooth legal process.” “The great part of this story is that it was a case that involved domestic violence, and she was able to get what she wanted,” Mary said. “There are times when parents want full physical custody, but they can’t because the other parent objects. Kiana was lucky and I am really happy for her.” *Brenda expected to see the words “failed” in a letter from the City and County of Honolulu Section 8 office. A routine quality inspection was recently done on her rental apartment, and they found the enamel peeling away from the tub floor and wall. It was unacceptable, she said.
However, what she was not ready for were to see the words “in abatement.” “I was afraid and confused,” Brenda said. “I understood that the inspection failed, but I didn’t understand the termination letter stating that the unit would be in abatement, and I would be responsible for the full rent.” The “Section 8” housing voucher program helps low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing. A Section 8 voucher holder like Brenda is able to pay rent based on a percentage of their income. The voucher pays the balance of rent through a federal subsidy. However, to maintain the subsidy, rental units under the Section 8 program must pass “Housing Quality Standards” inspections to ensure Section 8 participants are living in sanitary conditions. If a unit fails the inspection, Section 8 will determine whether the landlord or the tenant is responsible for making repairs. If the landlord is responsible, the Public Housing Authority (PHA) will give the owner a specified time to repair the deficiencies. If the owner does not make the necessary repairs within the timeframe given by the PHA, the housing assistance payments will be abated. “Abatement” essentially means that the PHA will stop paying its share of the rent to the owner. During this abatement period, tenants are still responsible for their tenant pay portion, but they are not financially liable for any payments that were withheld by the PHA. The PHA determines how long the abatement period will last, but it generally does not exceed one month. If the abatement period expires and the owner has still not made repairs, the PHA will then completely terminate the housing assistance payment contract. At this point, tenants are now not only responsible for their tenant pay portion, but they are also responsible for the entire rental amount. In Brenda’s case, this means she would either have to pay the full month’s rent out of pocket, or she would need to quickly find a new place to live. “Brenda felt frightened and experienced high anxiety,” said Staff Attorney William Tew, Housing and Consumer Unit, who was her primary advocate when she came to Legal Aid for help in June 2022. “She felt an impending sense of doom as she was on a tight timeline.” To make matters worse, the landlord refused to make the repair and Brenda was still recuperating from a recent cancer surgery. The 30-day deadline was definitely not enough time for her to find a new place. “I was scared, and didn’t know what to do,” said Brenda. “I have general anxiety disorder and PTSD. I also have other medical issues that would make it difficult, if not impossible, to find an apartment in such a short time so I started to panic.” William swiftly went to work and figured out how to help Brenda keep her unit and be off of the streets. The first thing was to get clarification from Section 8. As it turned out, the date was wrong – Brenda actually had more time to spare, so Section 8 sent a new letter with the correct dates. However, the reasonable accommodation request – a deadline extension due to Brenda's disability – was denied. The next step was to explain to the landlord/property manager the consequences of their refusal to make repairs. It would mean a loss of income because Section 8 wouldn't be paying the rent, and Brenda did not have the ability to pay the full amount. Eventually, the landlord decided to make the repairs and Brenda got to stay longer! She now had enough time to search for other properties. (Brenda did not want to continue renting there and the landlord wanted to increase the rent.) “Legal Aid helped me know what the property manager could and couldn’t do,” said Brenda. “They explained the benefit and consequence of the actions or inaction of the repair in a manner that we all could understand.” “I am very grateful for Legal Aid’s help because I didn’t feel so afraid and alone anymore,” said Brenda. “They were very professional, kind, respectful. Having Legal Aid in my court gave me strength – in knowing the property manager couldn’t take advantage of me, threaten me or put me out on the street, which was a huge relief as well.” “I can never thank you enough, but thank you,” she added. “She was incredibly relieved,” said William. “It was a burden off of her because of so many issues – emotional, financial, medical, and physical. She was very grateful and happy.” *Kelly, 51, had so many questions when she received the doctor’s call that it was time for her mother to be transferred to a care facility. How can she help? What should she do? Is her mother going to be OK?
One of Kelly’s concerns was that she lives in Oregon, thousands of miles away from her mother who lives in Hilo. She also did not have the legal right to make decisions for her mother’s health care and manage her finances. “Because Kelly did not have any legal authority, the doctors couldn’t even tell her about the various treatments available for her mother,” said Hawai‘i Island Managing Attorney Scott Shishido, Kelly’s primary advocate. “She’s the only adult child; she has been the one taking care of her mom’s needs.” Good thing Kelly was connected to Legal Aid through the Hawai‘i County Office of Aging (HCOA) in March 2022. Through the streamlined referral process from HCOA, Legal Aid was able assist Kelly in obtaining guardianship of her mother, which answered all of Kelly’s questions and dispelled her worries. “She was a little worried because the issues were in front of her at that time,” said Scott. “She was very concerned that the case could not be processed expeditiously, especially because she resides on the continent.” It was sometimes challenging to communicate because of the time difference and Kelly’s variable work schedule, but they worked through the logistical hiccups to make sure Kelly got the assistance that she needed. Through the guardianship, Kelly now has the legal right to safeguard her mother’s personal property, to make medical decisions to ensure that she is receiving necessary medical care and treatment, and to make many other important decisions for her mother’s best interest. In September, Kelly finally received the Court order giving her full legal guardianship of her mother, and in December, her mother's bank approved the addition of Kelly's name to her mother’s account. “Kelly can now help her mom, and there are no longer any issues with consenting to procedures or medical information,” said Scott. “She is appreciative of the help that she received.” “There is definitely a need for legal assistance for guardianships, wills, powers of attorney, advanced health care directives, and other kupuna-focused services here on the Big Island,” said Scott. “For the most part, obtaining a guardianship through the Court can be complicated to navigate for those not familiar with the process. Because many folks can’t afford an attorney to help assist them with the process, especially when there is such a need among the kupuna population, it’s great that Legal Aid and HCOA can work together to serve our kupuna in this way.” When *Heidi arrived on the Big Island from Asia over 15 years ago, she was ready to tackle her studies at the university. She was full of dreams and excited for her future.
But she started dating a local guy after two years and her life changed – for the worse. That relationship led to a life of abuse, fear, and shame. The boyfriend became very controlling and manipulative. He isolated Heidi from friends, flaunted his gun collection, and made her work nonstop in his business. He used her expired student visa to keep her from running away, threatening to report her to authorities to get her deported. “I did not know who to ask for help,” said Heidi whose working day would start at 4 a.m. and end at midnight. “I thought the police would arrest me.” As an immigrant to the United States, Heidi was vaguely familiar with the legal system. She was unfamiliar, however, with the rights and privileges she is entitled to even as a non-U.S. citizen. The abusive working conditions continued until, in 2011, a fellow employee called police to intervene after witnessing Heidi being hit by her boyfriend. The prosecutor referred Heidi to Legal Aid for assistance. She was hopeful, but her boyfriend’s threats stopped her from contacting us and left her with fear. He was angry, she recalled, and destroyed some of her property, including the car of her sister who was visiting that time. In 2013, Heidi continued navigating safety for herself and her daughter and escaped her abusive boyfriend. She moved as far away from him as logistically possible for her. She also reached out to Legal Aid again with Staff Attorney Jennifer Jung, Hawai'i Immigrant Justice Center (HIJC) at Legal Aid, as her primary advocate in applying for immigration status. “When I met Heidi, she was distraught and very fearful because of the threatening environment her abuser created,” said Jennifer. “The physical trauma was so severe that she was losing clumps of hair. But even with those trauma impacts, she was focused and resilient and always displayed an amazing amount of courage and strength. Heidi is the expert on her safety needs, and together we worked closely to reimagine a safer life, one that would provide space for her to pursue her identified goals.” Legal Aid started assisting Heidi with a U visa, an immigration status created for victims of serious crimes like domestic violence. The U visa provides lawful status in the United States, work authorization, and eventually an opportunity to apply for a green card. However, as Jennifer continued the conversation, she realized that Heidi was also a survivor of human trafficking. “When Heidi’s abuser forced her to work for him this was no longer only about the serious crime of domestic violence; this became an intersecting case of human trafficking and domestic violence. Our society generally associates forced sex work with human trafficking. However, Heidi’s story is really important for all of us to learn about trafficking dynamics as her abuser used power and control dynamics to force her to work without pay at his shop,” said Jennifer. “This type of human trafficking is called labor trafficking, and it can occur whenever there is force, fraud, or coercion in a work setting. Sometimes labor trafficking looks like Heidi’s case in which she served as a cashier among other duties. Sometimes labor trafficking is even less visible and takes place inside a home setting in which the trafficked person is forced to take care of a person or family.” “In collaborating with Heidi on her immigration options we decided to apply for a T-visa,” said Jennifer. “T visas are available for survivors of human trafficking and offer more public benefit protections than a U visa does. The wait time is also significantly faster than a U visa, which can take more than 10 years to obtain. The lengthy wait times of these visas is incredibly discouraging for our clients as it becomes another barrier in safety planning.” After receiving her T-visa Heidi was able to finish her undergraduate degree and was admitted to a Physician’s Assistant program. She is starting this fall. Legal Aid helped advocate during the undergraduate enrollment process and provided education to the school system on immigration statuses eligible to receive financial aid. “Using a trauma informed lens, we worked closely with Heidi to help her achieve immigration stability, restore a felt sense of safety, and connect her with various agencies that help with domestic violence support,” said Jennifer. “We also helped advocate for a formal finding of unpaid wages against the trafficker.” In July 2022, after almost a decade of fighting for justice, Heidi finally received her green card. “The help from Legal Aid is life changing,” Heidi said. “If I say Legal Aid saved my life it is correct on many levels. Not just that, the help is free. The people who worked there, they don’t just do their job, they take the extra mile. They would give suggestions to better my situation. They want to see that you are safe and secure.” “Every time I reach out to Jennifer, she had no problem stepping in so I can do something,” Heidi added. “She advocated for me, did more than what she needed to do. She laid out all the possibilities for me.” The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations awarded Heidi over $100,000 in back wages from working for her boyfriend for four years. Unfortunately, she may never see the wages paid to her. Within those ten years, the trafficker had lost most of his source of income and business ventures. Heidi, on the other hand, gained so much more during that time and drastically changed her life – for the better. In the midst of her legal battles, she successfully finished school and worked in the medical field, met someone and gotten married, raised her daughter well, and bought her first house. She also currently teaches ballet and plays the piano for a community. Her next goal is to be a Physician Assistant. “Heidi is thriving now,” observed Jennifer. “She has always been strong and goal oriented. She has an excited focus and is empowered to pursue her goals. Instead of being stuck in an abusive relationship, she is empowered to pursue her dreams.” “I am really grateful that there is a law to protect people like me,” said Heidi. “But more importantly to have organizations like Legal Aid who work to help people with low socio-emotional status, not just people who do not have enough money. I think they are the most efficient people to help people understand the law the most.” After 15 years of separation, Frank Enos, 61, finally got his closure – the divorce papers that legally terminated his 25-year marriage. His wife had left him in their Mountain View home on Hawaii Island and moved to Kona. She took their four children with her.
“They had a bad history and there may have been domestic violence,” according to Haunani Magalianes, Paralegal, Hawai‘i Island Office. Frank had been trying to get a divorce for a long time but Hawai‘i Island didn’t have pro bono lawyers that could represent him. The last lawyer he talked to lost his license. He was frustrated. Frank thought the divorce would never happen until he connected with Legal Aid. We opened his case in March 2022 and closed in September. It was an uncontested divorce, there was no hearing, and his estranged wife quickly signed the divorce decree. “He was pretty high strung and stressed when he first came to us because this has been going on for a long time,” Haunani said. “But when I talked to him after the case was closed, he was low key, and seems happy and very thankful.” Finally, the weight of uncertainty was lifted off of Frank’s shoulders. Though his income is very minimal, he can now send financial support to one child who is still under 18. (He was unable to send child support before because he did not know their address.) His life is now more stable. “Legal Aid helped me to sleep better at night,” said Frank. “They were a very big help. I could never get my divorce if it wasn’t for the help from Legal Aid. Thank you very much.” Access to legal services is extremely limited on Hawai‘i Island (including other neighbor islands) making it difficult for many elderly and low-income individuals get a divorce decree, said Haunani. “Legal Aid is very vital in every community,” she added. “We don’t have attorneys here to represent people with no financial means. Some start their cases but there is no closure. So when we can come in and help our seniors, it is a good feeling.” How do you end a confusing relationship, when your husband calls you “awful” and “abusive” while professing love with flowers and expensive gifts?
*Yoshi experienced this during her marriage. The conflicting nature of the relationship made her anxious and insecure, taking a toll on her emotional and mental health. Good thing she reached out to Legal Aid - we took care of her legal battles so she can take care of herself and her children. “I suffered as a part of my husband’s abuses,” said Yoshi. “I did not have a house, a job, and a car when we got separated and divorced. Since I am from Japan, I did not understand the legal system and rights in Hawaii. I was really in trouble.” With a 4-year-old child in tow, Yoshi arrived in Hawaii in 2018 to marry her fiancé. She quickly got pregnant and gave birth to their child in June 2019. In 2020, she gave birth to their second child. The first case we helped Yoshi with in 2019 was for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), which the husband filed against her. “He knew the justice system really well and he used it to make her vulnerable,” said Makoto Messersmith, Staff Attorney, Hawai‘i Immigrant Justice Center (HIJC) at Legal Aid. During their separation, Yoshi’s husband wooed her back with presents and promises of love. He sent several messages and a video to show how sad he was without her. Yoshi returned, but her husband reverted to his verbally and emotionally abusive behavior. (He never hit Yoshi; he knew that he would be arrested if he did.) That same year, Yoshi had the strength to start the divorce process. HIJC and our Family Law Unit combined forces to win her case. “Throughout the divorce proceeding, her husband kept arguing that she was a child abuser, but the court found no evidence for that,” said Makoto. In addition, Yoshi’s husband withdrew her immigration petition saying she committed marriage fraud – wanting to get married just to get a green card. He also had her arrested for an “abuse” she committed against him. “That time was very difficult for her,” Makoto recalled. “Yoshi was going through a lot of stress and was devastated. She had no idea what was going on, she also recently gave birth to her third child. She was dealing with so many issues. She had expected her husband to be supportive but he became abusive to her instead and she was confused.” In 2022, the battle for Yoshi’s safety and peace of mind was won. She was granted the divorce and full custody of her children. She also received her green card, applying as a self-petitioner under the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Other legal issues we helped her with included applications for public benefits such as SNAP and Medicaid. “Makoto Messersmith-san interpreted and explained properly and gave me many information,” said Yoshi. “She gave me legal advice for everything that I did not know such as SNAP, WIC, DMV, VAWA… I could not do the procedures by myself, but Legal Aid supported me. Moreover, since someone helped me, I also received emotional support and I could have my peace of mind.” Yoshi is currently staying at a DV shelter with her children. Though temporary, she is now stable and has a place to live as she looks for a job. “She’s aiming to work in the tourism industry, either at the airport or in a hotel,” said Makoto. “I’m extremely happy,” *Tricia told us after the divorce from her husband was finalized in April 2021. They had been married for 20 years. Between them, they share 7 children, most of whom are now adults.
Tricia was the opposite of happy when she contacted Legal Aid in April 2020. “She was angry, anxious, and depressed, a true victim of many years of abuse,” observed Paralegal Haunani Magalianes, Hilo Office. “Sometime during their marriage starting in 2001, her husband had abandoned her - physically, mentally and emotionally. As a result of the abuse and abandonment, Tricia was forced to finally get a divorce.” “I was in for the long haul, you know, till death do us part. I’m a one-man woman,” said Tricia. “But he would accuse me and say all kinds of nasty words, with no remorse for what he did wrong. I had to call the cops because I did not want to have any contact with him.” Part-Hawaiian and a Hilo resident, Tricia is not new to assistance from Legal Aid. She received legal help from us on multiple occasions, including advice on housing and a TRO against her husband, since she became a client in 2003. The quick resolution of Tricia’s divorce was refreshing for her, and definitely great news. “He was angry after receiving the papers, so he reacted badly saying he would not sign anything. Ultimately, Patricia’s husband chose to ignore the divorce action, which allowed us to obtain a default against him through the court,” said Haunani. “Patricia was extremely happy and relieved to be a free woman.” Tricia’s husband was given 20 days to answer after he was served the divorce papers. Because he failed to answer the Complaint for Divorce, a motion for default was filed and granted by the Court. Tricia is now living her best life. “I’m happy, I love my life. It’s the happiest I have ever lived,” she said. “I don’t need a man. I’m really happy and thankful.” “Tricia was beyond happy when she got divorced,” echoed Haunani. “I find that to be the case with many of our clients on the Big Island," Haunani said. "Many of our clients have been separated for a long time but they don’t know how to navigate the divorce process. When we are able to assist them, they are very relieved. We’re basically helping them start a new life. For me, it’s a privilege to be able to assist our community with their legal needs. I am very thankful to be in a position to be able to do it." All *Ramona wanted was for her son to be safe, which means having sole physical custody. She also wanted him to be heard, and to be happy, which includes a relationship with his father – Ramona’s ex-husband. If not a close relationship, at least a decent one.
We’re excited to report that after working with Legal Aid, Ramona was able to come to a custody agreement with *Raffy’s father, which started to repair the strained relationship between Raffy and his dad. Though Ramona agreed not to have full custody, her son Raffy ended up deciding to spend summer vacation with his dad on the mainland. Legal Aid’s representation in court had made Raffy feel heard and seen by people, especially by his father. It started with a temporary restraining order (TRO). Ramona was referred by the Child, Welfare and Family Services (CWS) in October 2020 after a huge altercation. Raffy reported that his dad *Simon had grabbed him and covered his nose and mouth, prompting Ramona to take legal action. “We filed an emergency custody motion seeking for Ramona to have sole custody of Raffy,” said Emily Hills, Staff Attorney, Family Unit. “Current situation that time was joint custody. The 50-50 was only on paper because Raffy only spent weekends with his dad, but his dad kept threatening to enforce the prior 50-50 time-sharing order, which would have been very detrimental for Raffy.” The TRO was filed, as advised by CWS. However, upon further investigation, it was discovered that what had occurred was a one-time incident. CWS did not believe there to be an ongoing threat of abuse to Raffy and the case was dismissed. “Raffy didn’t know how to respond to his situation and was suffering from serious depression and self-harming thoughts,” observed Emily. “So during the TRO process while Ramona had full custody, we requested a step-up custody schedule to ease the boy into spending more time with his dad. We also requested a court order for him to go to therapy. Raffy had been threatening suicide because he was unhappy at his dad’s house.” Emily represented Ramona in court, showing up in several hearings to negotiate with Simon’s lawyers who did not approve of the therapy and wanted to continue the 50-50 custody despite the actual practice of dad visiting only on the weekends. “I feel like this is the kind of case where full representation ended up helping the family,” said Emily. “When the other side is represented, Legal Aid has the opportunity to even the playing field. This is the case where the child needed to have a voice and mom wanted to make that happen because we were able to do full representation. Believe it or not, that seems to have made a bigger help.” The full-rep process included a continuance, negotiations, helping Ramona navigate the file pleadings, and talking with CWS. Ultimately, Ramona was able to get Raffy enrolled in a private school that would be a better fit for him, and we were able to negotiate Simon’s agreement to have Raffy change schools, which greatly improved his happiness. “My son is no longer running away from his dad like he did before which is relieving for me,” said Ramona. “He even told me that, although the court did not let him live with me full-time like he'd asked for, it at least made his dad ‘change’. So long as he perceives his dad as a changed man, I'm okay.” It was a good new chapter for all of them, as the case was successfully closed in October 2022. “What made Ramona happy with the case was that we gave Raffy a voice,” said Emily. “He was able to talk to custody investigators and air his opinion. He felt listened to, he knew that his mom was fighting for him. And once his father said ‘you don’t have to be with me’, that’s when Raffy wanted to spend time with him.” Raffy is currently going through therapy and his mental health is better. Although he continues to struggle with emotional regulation, according to Ramona, his depression seems to have subsided. “I don't know what the future has for us, but I sincerely hope that Raffy will have a better life ahead," said Ramona. "As hard as the whole journey has been, particularly for him, I am optimistic and hopeful that his tomorrow will have a better outcome for him. I am very grateful Emily is the one I travelled this emotionally painful journey with." "Through all this, I was fortunate to have Emily as my attorney,” Ramona added. “I will always be grateful that I found in her someone I could talk through the hardest times of my life.” |
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