Chattanooga - I need a lawyer.
kmj3b
member
I don't want to dish out too much personal information. Basically, I am 16 weeks pregnant with (allegedly) my ex boyfriend's child. We were only together about 3 months and moved in together with a year long lease. We broke up in March and I found out I was pregnant weeks later. He made my life a living hell in our apartment, so I packed my clothes and left for Chatt to stay with my dad (we were in Hermitage). This week, I went up overnight when he was at work to move all of my furniture and stuff out of the apartment. I found out his new girlfriend, who he has been dating since probably before we broke up, in the apartment and she had locked the keyless deadbolt and would not let me in. I had to call metro police to get her to open the door and she wouldn't even do it for them until my ex gave her permission. He insisted that things that were mine were his and caused all kinds of hell. I got everything moved in the end and no one got hurt.
That's nothing. After the breakup, he started claiming all this money I owe him. He opened up a credit card while we were together and put me on as an authorized user. He wants me to pay off this credit card that he almost blew the balance on by himself, claiming I am legally bound to pay it. I called the credit card company and had them take me off and they said I was never legally responsible for the payments to begin with since I was an authorized user and not the primary card holder. He's also claiming $451 in rent that I missed one month because I was unemployed.
In addition, he is threatening to sue for custody. He claims he already has a lawyer and they have a plan to take me down and the baby away. I'm not an idiot. I make more money than him, I have more support than he could ever dream up, and I'd be a rocking mother. All I lack is a lawyer. I don't qualify for free legal aid. I have nothing but his threats to tell me he is actually going to go through with this imaginary lawsuit, but I want to be prepared.
Does anyone know an attorney I can talk to about this? I need to know how far he can actually go with this, what my rights are, if I should be worried, and how I can get protection from him.
Re: Chattanooga - I need a lawyer.
He'll have to take you to small claims court since you weren't married and *prove* you were the one that racked up the debt. If what you're saying is true he has no grounds and no case.
As far as custody, he could get a court order to have a paternity test performed (at his expense) after the birth and then yes he could get court ordered visitation or partial custody. Unless he can somehow prove you're unfit, there is no way under the sun any court is going to take a baby from their mother. Unfortunately, you may be stuck with dealing with him for the rest of your child's life (or until they're 18).
Sounds like a bunch of wind from him and I wouldn't bother with the expense of a lawyer until after he tries something.
You can petition the court for an order of protection if you think he may try to harm you and the baby. You will have to describe any kind of abuse endured and whether or not this person owns firearms. I *think* they will grant you a temporary order of protection until the decision is made about the permanent one.
Good luck.
UPDATE::
I was just served with an order of protection. He is claiming I abused he and his girlfriend and that he fears for their safety. The "whole lot of wind" thing is turning into a hurricane really fast. I think what he's trying to do is make me look like I'm unfit to parent.
I SERIOUSLY NEED A LAWYER, PEOPLE. MY HEARING IS IN TWO WEEKS.