Legal Aid helps wife receive spousal support

After 30 years of marriage and two children who are now adults, *Maria wanted to get a divorce. Her husband had been mentally and verbally abusive, she said, and it was inflicting damage on her emotional health and well-being.
 
“I was emotionally depressed due to abuse,” said Maria.
 
She was a cancer survivor with a lot of the abuse occurring during the time of her ordeal. Her husband told her that she was worthless, she recalled, and that he hoped she would die. He called her “crazy.”
 
Maria realized that she couldn’t be in that situation anymore. However, she also couldn’t afford a lawyer. On top of that, when her husband found out that she wanted a divorce, he threatened to relocate to Japan. Maria needed a lawyer ASAP before her husband left the country.
 
Good thing she found out about Legal Aid and that we offer free civil legal services to low- and moderate-income individuals like her.
 
In June 2023, Legal Aid Staff from our Family Law Unit quickly processed all of Maria’s papers to file a motion for Pre-Decree Relief.
 
A motion for Pre-Decree Relief is used “to request temporary relief while a divorce case is pending.” In Maria’s case, she wanted to ask for spousal support.
 
“When she first contacted us, she was very worried. She wanted a divorce but her husband was threatening to leave her without the support she needed. That is why she came to us,” said Legal Aid Paralegal Trisha Warner. “She’s retired and living on a fixed income. She also had some savings she was living on but she needed spousal support to fill in the gap.”
 
With the joint effort of Trisha and Legal Aid Family Law Managing Attorney Makia, the papers were served to Maria’s husband before he left Hawaii in August.
 
At the hearing, the judge agreed that the spousal support was something Maria needed. Her motion for Pre-Decree Relief was approved!  
 
“Legal Aid helped me to get all necessary information, with kind words and reassurance, which was a comfort to me,” said Maria. “They explained procedures clearly with speedy responses regarding my questions. Their documents were quick and accurate. I was particularly impressed with the professionalism of Makia and Trisha. I got good caring advice.”
 
Relieved with her first victory, Maria is currently gathering more information and documents as she gets ready to pursue her divorce.
 
“Maria really needed that assistance. It was good to be able to help her. She was very happy and thankful,” said Trisha. “She was thankful that Makia and I listened to her story and gave her the guidance she needed.”