Legal Question in Family Law in Tennessee

My mother is having a traumatic emergency

Back in August of 2004, my stepfather left my mother and left her with no money, which, from what I understand, he had just made a few million dollars before he left. My mother was already having chronic pain problems. Ever since, she's had to go on and off of her pain medicines and other medicines. She's had no money to pay rent, and she's 6 months past due on the house rent, which he left her in on his lease and has never paid since he left. She recently lost COBRA because she has no money for health insurance. She can't work because her pain is growing by the day. She had to stop all medication, and last night she went to the emergency room in Germantown, TN with a blood pressure of 200. She was not doing well today, from what my sister told me. My stepfather is nowhere to be found and is hiding somewhere in Mississippi, but I have no idea where. His parents live in Tupelo. I am on my way to Memphis from Ohio, where I go to school, which is why I have no money, and I am hoping to find an attorney who will help me file an emergency case and have my stepfather found and file a lawsuit for emergency money so that she can get proper healthcare. I am worried sick right now.


Asked on 7/11/06, 2:45 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Marc Reisman Rosenblum & Reisman, P.C.

Re: My mother is having a traumatic emergency

While you can get a divorce from someone who can not be found, to accomplish what you want/need (support for your mother) the husband will need to be found and served. That may require the services of a private investigator who has experience in skip/tracing and then serve the man in accordance with the appropriate statute. That unfortunately can be an expensive process. I suggest you contact a lawyer either in Shelby county or the county where you think the husband might be and see if this man can be found. Once he is served, you are not through, because even though you can get an order from a judge you have to be able to enforce it. Stressing the likelyhood of flight to the court might assist in getting the judge to put certain safeguards in the order. Best of luck.

Read more
Answered on 7/11/06, 3:15 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Family Law, Divorce, Child Custody and Adoption questions and answers in Tennessee