Chapter 18 - The attorney fee fight
I wanted Lucas to pay $28,000 of my attorney fees.
Why?
The rushed agreement.
Corporate-linked coercion.
Emergency filings.
He had created unnecessary litigation.
Lucas argued:
I chose expensive discovery.
Everett’s company investigation was separate.
My mother escalated.
Some truth.
Judge Keene held hearing.
Dana showed:
Voice memo.
Original global agreement.
Timing before Monday audit.
Lucas’s admission that he linked parenting leverage to property settlement.
No violence beyond property throwing.
Then Lucas’s lawyer showed:
I rejected two reasonable mediation proposals.
I insisted initially on sole legal custody despite evaluator recommendation.
I spent $6,400 on a forensic marital accountant even after Mercer provided independent audit data.
Also true.
Judge did not make fee award a moral verdict.
Ordered Lucas contribute:
$11,500 toward my fees.
Each pays rest.
Why not $28k?
Shared escalation.
Different litigation categories.
Then tax.
House sale capital gain below exclusion due primary residence.
No major tax.
HPS tax liabilities Lucas.
Joint prior-year return audited? No.
No extra plot.
Then original $70,000 HELOC payoff.
Neutral marital balance sheet already accounted through HPS valuation and house proceeds.
No additional credit.
Lucas objected.
Judge agreed with neutral:
Double counting inappropriate.
Done.
Then $48,000 family “loan”:
Gift.
No marital liability.
Done.
Then retirement:
Qualified transfer.
Done.
Financial conflict narrowed to final equalization.
Not paid yet because decree pending.
Then custody.
Lucas made one bad decision.
He told Noah:
“Mom’s lawyers are making me sell things.”
Noah told me.
I wanted motion.
Dana said:
“First use parenting app.”
I wrote:
Noah repeated a statement about lawyers making you sell things. Please keep financial litigation away from him.
Lucas answered:
You’re right. I said it. I shouldn’t have.
No motion.
That saved time.
Then I had my own slip.
Noah asked why Dad no longer worked at Grandpa’s company.
I said:
“Because he broke rules.”
Then added:
“Big ones.”
Noah repeated to Lucas.
Lucas messaged:
Please don’t editorialize company findings to Noah.
He was right.
I answered:
Agreed.
May you like
Present tense.
Again.
