(Photo not that of actual clients.)
After her husband physically attacked her in 2015, “Mrs. Carlson” sought a restraining order and filed for divorce on her own, eventually obtaining counsel from Florida Coastal School of Law’s Family Law Clinic.
Natalie Tuttle, the faculty member who was helping her, was leaving the law school to become a magistrate and reached out to JALA, which took on Mrs. Carlson’s case with the help of pro bono attorney, Barry Zisser.
Mrs. Carlson had been unable to work for many years, while her husband earned over $100,000 a year throughout most of the marriage. She was awarded $800 a month in spousal support through the injunction, but rarely received the payment, and was unable to afford a lawyer. Her husband refused to cooperate in the divorce process, resulting in many subpoenas for mandatory disclosures and at least six motions for contempt.
The case finally came to an end after three years, two mediations and multiple settlement offers. After two days of trial, the judge ruled in Mrs. Carlson’s favor, awarding her equitable distribution of just under $15,000 and $900 a month in alimony for nine years. The judge ordered that the restraining order continue to stay in effect for one year, which could be extended, and that Mrs. Carlson be able to retrieve all the items she requested from the marital home. Meanwhile, the husband would have to pay off all the marital debt.
