The House

[kyop]

My wife left me in October. She took half of the marital property and got an apartment. Now she tells me that she is going to try to get the house in the divorce. What are my best options for preventing this from happening?

We have agreed to a 50/50 split of custody of my two year old son. I imagine that she is going to try to go back on that arrangement as well, so I am preparing myself, but I imagine knowing that there is joint custody is an important factor in all of this.

We also have four animals that live at the house as well. Two of them are hers but she decided to leave them with me. When I mentioned to her about the fact that she left her animals with me and should help with their upkeep, she said that she would come by on Saturday to take them to the pound. If she wins the house, the animals are surely done for. There is no way I'll find a rental that allows four pets.

Thank you.

[Attorney Cheri Hobbs]

If you are already involved in a dissolution proceeding you can file a Motion for Temporary Relief to address some of these concerns on a temporary basis. Otherwise you can address your fear about the animals etc. in the Final Hearing. The court will take into account that she left the marital residence and re-established herself in October 2010.