Legal Question in Family Law in Alabama

I have a few questions regarding my marriage. After I married my husband, I found out he was on probation for trafficing cocaine, which he said wasn't his fault. I had to be the main provider for my teenage son, and my husband. My son is his stepson. We have been married only three years. I was forced to work while he stayed at home and slept, and then my sister gave him a job in her store because it was hard for him to get one since he was on probation. Before he got his job, he bought a mercedes with payments at $400 monthly when he found out I got a job that pays well in property management. I found out I was pregnant and I began having problems. I was told to stay off of my feet, but he told me we couldn't afford for me to take off since I just started work. I ended up miscarrying, and he ran off to atlanta to be with his friends and family and for court for his probation. His dad had to make him come home. I grieved all alone. I ended up losing that job. My husband apparently had a drinknig problem and my sister let him go at her store due to drinking on the job.She hired him back, but hesitantly. He ended up drinking again, and they got into a scuffle when she came to the store late one night to get the keys. He had her in a choke hold and was punchign her in the head, until my 17 yr old son pulled him off of her. I called the police, and had him put in jail for 4 days, until I felt sorry for him and got him out. He had to go back to court over this of course and take an anger management class. I ended up losing my family for a while over it. My sister and friends would not speak to me. I ended up getting another job and we moved. I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. I experienced problems with blood pressure and had to go to the ER one night where my blood pressure had shot up so high from the stress from his drinking. He would come home when he wanted. So, he continued the drinking off and on. Then, the day I was due to be induced to have my daughter, I tried to wake him up and had to drive myself. He showed up 3 hours later. My daughter is now 14 months old, and I have suffered greatly since she has been born. We moved due to a job promotion he recieved to a manager's position. That was in Oct. 2009. In Jan 2010, he began having an affair, and the woman ended up contacting me and asking me for money for an abortion. Of course I was in shock and I said no. Then, I went through the phone bill online, and starting researching phone numbers. There were many that went to escort services. He admitting having an act performed. He lied about money and would never account for it with me. I was willing to forgive and move on in our marriage. The hurt was so intense still though, that in April 28, I went to see my dad because I thought he was having surgfery for cancer. I went about 6 hrs away to Arkansas. I decided to go further into Ark and visit my mom, and while there, I decided it was too painful to go back. I wanted a divorce at that point. He called daily and I could tell he was drinking. He would text me and tell me he loves me. So, he came to visit me for our daughter's 1st birthday in mid June, and we had a wonderful week. I thought he was getting his life together. I waited after he left for 3 1/2 weeks to come back home. I wanted to make sure it was the right decision. I came back to a beer hidden under the bed, and I felt like someone had been in my apartment,. He admitted to having 3 more affairs, but that was it. He kept texing someone and I was suspicious, and he lied and said it was a woman he knew from Facebook but had never met.I didn't believe him but still kept trying to work our marriage out. Then, 2 weeks ago, I found out this woman he saw the week he came back from Ark from seeing me. He dated her all of 3 weeks, and then stayed in touch with her here. She told him last Monday she is pregnant. Now he says he is in love with a woman he knew for three weeks. She owns a store and has money, and I believe he wants her for that reason, because he thinks they will stand a chance since there is no financial pressure. She has ridiculed me and shown no remorse and has made it clear she wants my husband and won't leave him alone. I have decided to leave next week to go back to my family's. All I have is unemployment and half of that goes to my car payment. I always used to make great money and was the sole provider until we moved here in Oct. I stayed at home of course while job searching because my daughter was very sick with acid reflux and was having these mini seizures associated with it almost every 2 days. She would vomit about 30 times a day easily. I had to put her in the bed with us because I thought she would die, due to the boughts of not breathing. He would come home when he wanted to and wouldn't help. He would go through his money and I would deplete my unemployment funds to help take care of us. We were always behind on our bills, and my car payment had become 3 months behind, while he went out and did what he wanted. Now.... with all of this being said, I have a few concerns. His mistress has a 3 yr old daughter and now this one on the way. Can they take my daughter away from me? Will they allow him open visitation without supervision being an alcoholic? I am a great mom! Can I get alimony? Can I sue her for alienation of affection and emotional distress? Please give me any advice you may have. Thank you so much


Asked on 8/18/10, 2:59 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Mari Morrison Mari Morrison

Sounds as if you just need someone to tell you what you already know, that is, you are an enabler and need to get your act together and ditch this leech. But you have to understand that you have contributed to your situation by making excuses for him and letting obvious problems go without demanding and requiring accountability. You just need to divorce him and get on with your life and that of your child. He will not change. Talk with Dr. Laura.

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Answered on 8/24/10, 10:59 am


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