March, 8, 2013, Muskegon County, MI- A Michigan woman who was angry with the settlement awarded to her ex-husband in January managed to land herself in jail for thirty days, illustrating how important it is to have the right divorce attorney.
Kathy Lee Emery was upset that a divorce court awarded her ex the house they once shared. Just after their January 7th divorce hearing Emery drove her Jeep Durango to their Dalton Township home and crashed into it, according to mlive.com.
A Sheriff’s Deputy was there to witness Ms. Emery driving across the lawn of their Holton Road home, traveling “at a high rate of speed, straight into the house,” mlive reported.
When questioned by the deputy, Ms. Emery told him she “intended to drive straight through the house,” her intention was to cause hardship for her estranged husband.
Police charged Ms. Emery with one count of malicious destruction of a building more than $1,000 and less than $20,000.
In her February court appearance Ms. Emery told the judge that she preferred an extended jail term so her ex couldn’t “play games” with her.
The judge sentenced her to 30 days in jail, 18 months of probation, and ordered her to take anger management classes. She also has to refrain from contacting Mr. Emery under the terms of her probation.
“I did what I did and I am sorry for that, but I don’t deserve the games he played with me before it led to this,” she said.
Before she left the court room she cursed at her husband, calling him a “two-timing b*****d” then broke down in tears.
Roger and Kathy Emery were together for a decade, but only married five years ago, and they have no children together.
Ralph Emery told mlive that his ex-wife had some “mental health issues” and expressed concern that she might hurt herself once she gets out of jail.
Ms. Emery caused about $10,000 worth of damage to the home.
Divorces can bring out the worst in people; trying to negotiate with an estranged spouse can make a person feel frustrated and angry. Many couples believe they can divide their assets and determine child custody without a third a party, but sometimes this is nearly impossible.
There are some many emotions involved in divorce that non-confrontational negotiations can breakdown quickly, especially in regards to child custody and the family home. Incidents where one spouse lashes out at another are not unusual, but taking revenge can sometimes backfire and lead to criminal charges. A lawyer can’t erase or ease the anger and other negative emotions that accompany a divorce but they can act as a mediator.
Once a spouse decides they want a divorce they should hire an attorney to help them fill with their original filing and outline their requests for child custody, spousal support, and property division. If you want a legal expert that will address all of your concerns however small they may seem, contact Michigan divorce attorney Stuart Shafer to begin working on your case.
