OT sorry boys, and i think i need a little advice!

[Synchroman]

You can appreciate this joke I hope,

why do divorce lawyers cost so much?

Because they're worth it.

Well, I often would fail to get paid, but I do get the joke.

Think how defferent things might have been if people such as Scott Peterson and Darren Mack would have pursued divorce instead of killing their spouses. Whatever you have to pay an attorney is cheaper, better and less expensive than a death sentece or life in prison without possibility of parole. People need to think carefully before making terrible choices with dire consequences.

[jonesg]

I'm a retired family law attorney.

You can appreciate this joke I hope,

why do divorce lawyers cost so much?

Because they're worth it.

[jonesg]

The truth is paradoxical.

. she says i work too much...!!!

When they say we work too much,
the truth is something else.

I gave my wife everything she wanted, she took all the money.

I got it all back, we reunited when I quit trying to BS myself.

Its not about tools, money, trucks or "things".

It had to do with not looking for other people to co-sign my BS.

Its the 'things' that people value so much in life that only seperates them from others, until all they've got left is stuff.
They got nothing that I would want.

If you can put a pricetag on something, its worthless.

[Synchroman]

All is not lost!

I didn't read all of the other posts so forgive any repetition. I'm a retired family law attorney. The way this was generally handled in my area (California) was to have the tools appraised. At the very worst, you would only have to pay her one-half of the present value at the time of the trial or settlement conference.

That would only apply to tools that were bought with community income during the time of the marriage. It would not apply to tools that were given as gifts to you or which were bought either before the marriage or after the date of separation. Those would be separate property and would not be part of the community property.

Also, here's a very good hint: In my experience, having had numerous sets of tools appraised, tools that have been marked with the owner's initials are typically worth less than 1/3 of a similar tool in unmarked, pristine conditoin. Hint, hint.

As a general rule, the courts will not force the sale of property if it can be evaluated and the person who wishes to keep it can pay one half to the other party to equalize the community property.

Remember, I said the values are taken at the time of the settlement...that is present value. Your 25 year old Sears compressor is no longer worth the $350 that you paid for it in 1983. It's now worth what? $50....$60? You get the idea.

It is true that community property is not to be sold until the case is settled. There is an injunction against the sale while the property is bieing evaluated. Also, the judge won't force you to sell the tools of your trade but you will still have to evaluate them as community property and either pay half of the value or trade for half of the value, at least in a community property state. Hope this helps. No charge.

P.S. I forgive All-About-Design for calling lawyers bloodsuckers. I feel that way about LWS's. I get screwed every time I go near one. Hahahahahahahaha.

[shorerider16]

FU**k Her ..............Listen ......... 6 of my friends are lawyers.........LOL..........I heard alot...........donno what state your in but ................NOBODY CAN TAKE YOUR TOOLS OF THE TRADE !!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT EVEN THE IRS ........ YA NEED THEM TO WORK WITH ...........LOOK IN THAT DIRECTION AND MENTION IT TO UR LAWYER............IF HE/SHE IS1/2 SMART
THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT..............FRIGGIN EX'S WANT EVERYTHING WHERE THEY CAN USE IT OR NOT ?.... IT'S NOTHING BUT VINDICTIVE AT IT'S HEIGHT ................ MY EX WANTED MY HARLEY SHE COULDN'T RIDE IT .... NO LESS HAVE A GD MOTORCYCLE LICENSE..........LOL..........

No need to shout, we can all hear you quite fine, even up hear in Canada.

I got the impression that these were his home tools, not his work tools.

[Tom C]

Divorce

FU**k Her ..............Listen ......... 6 of my friends are lawyers.........LOL..........I heard alot...........donno what state your in but ................NOBODY CAN TAKE YOUR TOOLS OF THE TRADE !!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT EVEN THE IRS ........ YA NEED THEM TO WORK WITH ...........LOOK IN THAT DIRECTION AND MENTION IT TO UR LAWYER............IF HE/SHE IS1/2 SMART
THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT..............FRIGGIN EX'S WANT EVERYTHING WHERE THEY CAN USE IT OR NOT ?.... IT'S NOTHING BUT VINDICTIVE AT IT'S HEIGHT ................ MY EX WANTED MY HARLEY SHE COULDN'T RIDE IT .... NO LESS HAVE A GD MOTORCYCLE LICENSE..........LOL..........

[KBar]

Good for you! Nice to hear from someone who actually listened to his lawyer, played by the rules, and ended up getting what he wanted anyway. There's a lesson in there for all.

That does not always work. Come to Lancaster County, Pa. Listened to my lawyer, still end up paying alimoney after she remarried. Vaseline is always on sale.

There is only one good place in America to get a divorce and that is Las Vegas, you live there 6 month and she doesn't even have to agree to it or be there.

[jonnymag]

alright boys, here is the deal. my lawyer said that he probably couldnt save my tools or my flatbed. he did slow it down and make it so very expensive that she quickly lost interest. it was costing her more in a week than she makes in a month.

i have had to seriously bust my tail on some work, though. it was pretty expensive on my part, too. she filed this time to all she has is hers and all i have is mine...only thing was a car that i have to give her half of fmv on, and that pretty much sums it up...

Good for you! Nice to hear from someone who actually listened to his lawyer, played by the rules, and ended up getting what he wanted anyway. There's a lesson in there for all.

[uhohjim]

Good for you Welder...........thats one for the good guys lol

[Craig in Denver]

Bin der, dun dat.
One night as I was falling asleep, in a soft, s*xy voice, my wife of 15 years whispered; "I want a divorce." Now that'll make ya soft!!
For all you young uns following your unit around, beware! You'll never know what she wants next. She'll scr*w you to get you married and she'll scr*w you in the divorce. Keep her working, that way she'll have a career when she leaves you.
70% of the divorces are initiated by the woman.
Good luck, welder_one. I'm glad you got the 'yours is yours, mine is mine'.

[BDJ]

Glad it's getting better for ya man. Some things you shouldn't mess with are a mans tools, fishing and hunting equipment just to name a few. It's a bad deal and hate to hear it best of luck to ya.

[Broccoli1]

I shop at Harbor Freight

[fabricator]

my lawyer cost me $6,000 . the #*&#@! got $32,000 from out of me.(she decided she wanted to marry someone else,but he left her after 2 yrs)although she only got half of what she was trying for,i felt it was way too much for someone who contributed 0% financially.even helped support her through college.

[c wagner]

Glad to hear you made out as well as you did. I've never been divorced but my two brothers both have been... twice!
Just think now you have plenty of time to work and won't have to listen to the nagging when you get home!

[KBar]

Good going on your tools and like I said during my divorce, it was money well spent. After all, it is only money and you cant take it with you, well you can but what will you spend it on

You still have the anxiety to put up with until the papers are signed but you have the peace of mind right now. I hope everything else goes fine for you.