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Prairie State Legal Services - "Making a Positive Difference" |
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| Marie's Story Domestic Violence |
| He was able to plea down from attempted murder to assault, but he did serve time. During their turbulent marriage, Marie estimated that she and her husband had separated about ten times. He had been violent before but at their last separation Marie was so severely beaten that her husband was charged with attempted murder and her children were placed with her sister by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). That was the last straw. Marie wanted more from life. She fled to the Salvation Army shelter to hide from her husband (now in jail) and to be near her sister and her children. She sought and received counseling and came to Prairie State for a divorce and to ensure that the criminal order of protection issued against her husband would remain in effect. |
| A Prairie State attorney reviewed the criminal file and found that the criminal order of protection had been extended and was still valid. This information was conveyed to local law enforcement so that they would be better able to ensure her safety. Following his release from jail, the husband tried to frustrate her attempts to obtain a divorce by substituting attorneys three times. After an incident where he showed his aggression in open court, he apparently lost interest in the proceedings and a default order was obtained. Marie, now legally separated and protected from her abuser, continues to work on her plan with DCFS and hopes to regain custody of her children soon. |