Katee was married for over ten years and had two children with her spouse, though over time, her husband’s behavior became increasingly threatening, creating a fearful home environment.
The family began to walk on eggshells at home in fear that any wrong move would trigger a violent outburst from the Husband.
Eventually, he was arrested following months of escalating abuse.
Despite her fear, Katee sought help from the Safe Families Office and was granted a 12-month Temporary Protective Order. She was referred to the Family Law Program for assistance with filing for divorce. Although her initial pro se filing was dismissed, the Family Law team continued to support her, enabling her to refile.
After refiling, Katee faced two new hurdles: her husband’s whereabouts where unknown and she feared going back inside the courthouse where she had previously faced her abuser. Despite the new circumstances, the Family Law Program team was able to step in and assist her with filing the necessary documents to successfully finalize her divorce without ever having to step into a courtroom. At the conclusion of the case, Katee was granted a divorce and custody of her two beautiful children. But most importantly she was granted a new beginning where her family can safely laugh and play in their home with no fear of violence.