Case Management Conference

[angeleyzad]

What is the name of your state? Maine

Okay, we're scheduled for a case management conference for Sept. 7 - he will have his lawyer there, I am pro se...I cannot afford the $2000 retainer for my lawyer. In complying with one of the requests my ex had sent to me (contacting DHS to change daycare amount in our child support order), I send DHS a question regarding the jurisdiction of our child support order and who could change it. Well, they called me last Friday morning, and told me that yes, I was correct, that they could not just change the court order like he wanted done; they could, however, help me to file the paperwork to have it modified. I told them that my ex already filed to modify child support. Well, in the midst of talking, my case worker told me that I could have someone from Support Enforcement at the case management conference with me. She had me fax all the info over to her, his motion and my response, and that the person that heads up that section would contact me. Well, he called me that afternoon. This is what he said that he would do. They are going to get all employment history for my ex - both jobs, wage and pay history (he has a habit of trying to hide his part time job). I questioned about the traveling expenses and meeting half way (what my ex had asked me for), and he said that they would request that the judge order him to travel with no deviations, since he moved. The SE officer told me that someone from the Attorney General's office would be with me at the trial, as well, to help with the child support portion of the trial.

Here's my questions - any idea how much faith I should put in to these people? I mean, I tknow that they're there for me, but it's not like I'm paying them as I would have a lawyer. I don't have any doubt in myself handling my ex's attorney in regards to the visitation, as there's not much that we can change it because of the school schedule, and I know that he does not want to give up with every other weekend. The only part of his motion that I was nervous about was the child support part, because of the deviations and traveling expenses - I refuse to take on that burden because he chose to move in with his girlfriend, who lived further away from his sons.

I did feel better after talking to Support Enforcement and hearing that they'd be there, I just don't want to be over-confident, and blow my case.

Thanks for any response to this.

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? Maine

Okay, we're scheduled for a case management conference for Sept. 7 - he will have his lawyer there, I am pro se...I cannot afford the $2000 retainer for my lawyer. In complying with one of the requests my ex had sent to me (contacting DHS to change daycare amount in our child support order), I send DHS a question regarding the jurisdiction of our child support order and who could change it. Well, they called me last Friday morning, and told me that yes, I was correct, that they could not just change the court order like he wanted done; they could, however, help me to file the paperwork to have it modified. I told them that my ex already filed to modify child support. Well, in the midst of talking, my case worker told me that I could have someone from Support Enforcement at the case management conference with me. She had me fax all the info over to her, his motion and my response, and that the person that heads up that section would contact me. Well, he called me that afternoon. This is what he said that he would do. They are going to get all employment history for my ex - both jobs, wage and pay history (he has a habit of trying to hide his part time job). I questioned about the traveling expenses and meeting half way (what my ex had asked me for), and he said that they would request that the judge order him to travel with no deviations, since he moved. The SE officer told me that someone from the Attorney General's office would be with me at the trial, as well, to help with the child support portion of the trial.

Here's my questions - any idea how much faith I should put in to these people? I mean, I tknow that they're there for me, but it's not like I'm paying them as I would have a lawyer. I don't have any doubt in myself handling my ex's attorney in regards to the visitation, as there's not much that we can change it because of the school schedule, and I know that he does not want to give up with every other weekend. The only part of his motion that I was nervous about was the child support part, because of the deviations and traveling expenses - I refuse to take on that burden because he chose to move in with his girlfriend, who lived further away from his sons.

I did feel better after talking to Support Enforcement and hearing that they'd be there, I just don't want to be over-confident, and blow my case.

Thanks for any response to this.

Q: Here's my questions - any idea how much faith I should put in to these people?

A: None. They are not there for you and they do not represent you.

 

[angeleyzad]

Q: Here's my questions - any idea how much faith I should put in to these people?

A: None. They are not there for you and they do not represent you.

What would the purpose of them being there, then? Just curious, as I was never on the state, so it's not like he pays for assistance received or anything. His payments go straight to me, after DHS notes his payment.

 

[LdiJ]

What would the purpose of them being there, then? Just curious, as I was never on the state, so it's not like he pays for assistance received or anything. His payments go straight to me, after DHS notes his payment.

They represent the best interests of the state, which is making sure that the children are supported so that you hopefully never do need assistance.

Therefore, even though they aren't representing you, to some extent they are representing the children.

 

[angeleyzad]

They represent the best interests of the state, which is making sure that the children are supported so that you hopefully never do need assistance.

Therefore, even though they aren't representing you, to some extent they are representing the children.

That kind of makes more sense...when I spoke to the gentleman that is going to be there for the case management conference, he was pretty sure that they could get the judge to order that my ex be responsible for all his travel expenses (no more deviation), since it was him that moved away. That is the one part of the trial that I was nervous about, where I won't have any lawyer with me. He is also getting all employment history and pay/wage history, so I will be able to prove that he has had his part time job for about 5 years, plus the new job.

I don't see anything actually being accomplished during the case management conference, as I know that I will not agree to anything that makes me travel or gives a larger deviation on child support, plus I do not want to give up any of my time with the kids because he chose to move closer to his girlfriend. And, I know that he is not going to agree to keeping the visitation the same, otherwise he wouldn't have asked for it to change in his motion.