Dear Sirs/Madam,

I am writing to kindly request for an initial appointment for an initial consultation for my ongoing divorce settlement negotiation/dispute.

I have been married for more than ten years in an abusive (used to be physically abusive but currently psychological, mental, verbal abuses) marriage relationship.  My husband has practically abandoned me emotionally and physically from the initial stage of our marriage.  Prior to our marriage, I already have three daughters which he accepted.

We met in Doha, Qatar where I used to work and had a business.  I left my job when he asked me to as we were embarking on a matrimonial relationship.  During my husband&rsquo;s proposition, he promised to marry me in any church I want, in which case, I told him I wish to be married in a cathedral back in the Philippines.  We left Qatar and moved to the Philippines to get married.  Then to Malaysia prior to settling down in Canada.  When we were in Qatar, my husband asked me to leave my job and said that he will give me the monthly salary I am getting.  After one time of doing what he promised in just one month, that stopped.  I did not mind as I really did not care.   (I was crazily in love).

However, during our initial stay in the Philippines, my husband beat me up badly and subject me to various mental and emotional abuse.   I ran away but my brother and brought me back.  It was because my family is a staunch Catholic and such practice of running away from marriage is a big taboo and dishonorable to the family. Anyways, he promised my brother he will not hurt me again. I went back and stayed.  

We moved to Malaysia in 2009 until 2011 but the beating up continues as well as the psychological, mental and verbal abuse.  The abuse was just extreme that there were twice an incident that I tried to take my own life, one in the Philippines and one in Malaysia.

The physical beating up stopped when we moved to Canada (he is Canadian) after he suffered a mild heart attack in Malaysia.  In Canada, I learned that I have rights as a wife and that physical assault is a federal crime.  Though he stopped the grave physical assault, there were lots of incidences that he physically threw out of the house, shoved me on the wall and at one time, he threw our piano at me which I dodged but made a severe crack on the wall. Unfortunately, the psychological, emotional and verbal abuse did not stop though.  The nasty labelings continue.

Two years back, I informed him I want to separate which he responded with divorce suit on the ground of cruelty.  He told me to get a copy from his lawyers and upon seeing the ground, I was deeply heartbroken and felt deeply betrayed.  The subpoena scared me so deeply that I instantly took a lawyer in my defense.  At that time, I was ignorant of how and what divorce is all about.  I thought I was committing a crime. (We do not have divorce in the Philippines and it is deeply shunned in my family and in our society back home)

Added to the matter is that I learned that there is a negotiation in the divorce proceeding. (Well, I learned that I have human right in this country and that I have right to all we have accummulated during marriage).  My husband owns an oil and gas-servicing company and that I strongly feel that the settlement he and his lawyer are offering does not make sense.

More than a year after the divorce suit was filed, we are still living in the same house and I am still treated as abandoned inside the marriage being rejected and ignored every day.

My husband&rsquo;s abusive demeanor mellowed down a little bit last summer.

Anyways, I am more focused on getting over with the divorce and on needing help as regards the negotiation process.

I used to have a lawyer but the negotiation quite went awry as I noticed that my right is being undermined.  Upon my inquiries to my lawyer, she got offended and asked me to find another lawyer.  So after more than a year and lots of credit card charges, I am still left with no recourse.

Hence, my inquiry and my search for a new lawyer.

As such, may I kindly request an appointment/initial consultation?

I will deeply appreciate it if it could be scheduled soonest as my husband&rsquo;s lawyer is asking me to find as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Mae
P: (780) 910-9504