Hobson & HobsonCase Studies“I didn’t know what to do – I was afraid he was going to shoot me so I went to stay with my mother. Does that mean he gets to keep the house that I’ve paid for?”
You have probably heard countless ads on the radio with divorce lawyers telling listeners in no uncertain terms “Don’t move out of the house during a divorce”. This way of thinking has been so ingrained in our collective consciousness that men and women both are afraid to leave the marital residence for fear of losing their stake in it, even while they fear for their personal safety.
Our client Rebecca* was the primary breadwinner in her family. She made 90% of the household income, paid all of the bills and received no financial contributions from her husband. Even though she and Max* had been married for almost two decades, their relationship was quickly deteriorating. There were weapons all throughout the home, and while Max never specifically stated that he would harm her, she felt the unspoken threat of violence.
Max also began a smear campaign against her to their friends and threatened to publish compromising photos of her online. This is a classic strategy of a narcissist during a divorce. The manipulative and persistent attacks are designed to humiliate and degrade the person who is perceived to be hurting them, while elevating themselves in the process. We see these tactics frequently in our line of work and advise our clients on the best ways to work around the manipulator. This is why it’s critical to have an experienced divorce attorney on your side.
We advised our client to continue paying the mortgage and keep her other payments up to date so she wouldn’t lose the house to foreclosure and also ruin her good credit rating. We also requested a temporary hearing from the judge. This hearing was requested for two reasons: 1 – To abate any further damage to our client’s reputation. 2 – For our client to be able to live in the home that was in her name and which she was actively paying for.
After presenting our facts and evidence, the judge ordered Max to vacate the home, allowing Rebecca to have exclusive use and possession of the marital residence. We also petitioned the court for an injunction against harassment, and the judge agreed that Max shall not disparage her reputation online, distribute photographs of our client, and shall not harass or scare her.
At Hobson and Hobson our experience has shown us that once a narcissist knows their attacks have no effect, they will retreat. Sometimes our clients don’t have the tools and abilities to fight for themselves and that’s where we step in. Our attorneys help our clients get what they are entitled to receive.
*Names and identifying details changed to protect the privacy of all parties
Attorney Sarah Hobson at Hobson and Hobson, P.C. are powerful advocates for those who fight for better futures for those going through divorce and custody law matters.
