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Hubris

by | Jan 6, 2017 | Family Law

You would think that staring at four gray walls in an 8 x 12 for three months with several of the least friendly guys you are ever likely to meet would sober you up, would cause you to take a bit more humble stock of yourself. Not so for this guy.

This guy was like some other guys in the sense that he kept falling farther behind in his child support. His job hadn’t changed. His income had only gone up. But his hatred for his ex knew no limits, knew no bounds, so he cut his child support by more and more each month. That was different.

Also different was his penchant for litigation. He liked to keep a case going in Court all the time. Before she came to us, he had filed three previous cases against her. She had to lawyer up to protect her self and their child each time. Each time, as the case came on for trial, he dismissed his action. His goal was just to cost her money. When she hired us, he did the same, only this time, we had a strategy. We sought and the Judge stuck him with her attorney fees, which were not negligible.

Of course, he didn’t pay them. He refused. The next time he filed an action, his refusal to pay fees and his mounting child support arrearages were front and center. This time, when he dismissed, we proceeded on with our case. He refused to attend the hearing. That was a particularly stupid move on his part.

Not long after that, the Sheriff stopped by to pay him a visit and offer him a ride to the County’s finest accommodations. There he sat for month after month after month. Finally, he hired new counsel who asked the Judge to let him out so that he could pay on his arrearage. Even then, he flaunted his contempt for the Court with his ever changing reasons for having not paying the child support and attorney fees to this point.

Realizing that keeping him in custody hadn’t produced any results, the Judge decided to try letting him out, now that he knew just how disruptive three months in stir could be.

We tried that out for three more months. Still nothing. At least he hadn’t filed a new action.

So, how does he think this will end? Does he really think the Judge won’t ever make him pay? Is he just that special?

So, here we go again. And there he will go again. Bye, bye Mr. Arrogant guy.

Such hubris.

Michael Manely

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