Preparing for jail time

In May of 2009 I have to fly to California to spend 48 hrs in jail. Trying to be optimistic... no phone, no lap-top, no door bell ringing, it may be more like a vacation. I spoke with my doctor to try to simplify my medication schedule in preparation for my sentencing. I asked my friend if she would come to visit me during my stay, half sarcastically, she did not answer. She simply continued down her verbal rage about how silly, evil and crazy the situation was. I think she is trying to be supportive, while trying to handle her own share of drama.

My daughter is excited to visit with her father. The judge issued a gag order so he is not allowed to brag about it, or discuss it with her. Some kind of father, who would work so hard to put his daughters father in jail. His resentfulness towards me will not cease. I have a feeling I will have to add regular visits to the jail to my life expectations. because i do not plan to stop protecting my daughter. I have thought about what the judge said at the conclusion of the hearing. One of his comments was that no medical records were presented to him do illustrate that the child was sick, leading to the conclusion the child must not have been sick. I find that comment interesting b/c when i asked if they would be needed I was told no. (that sucks) i wonder if i can send the medical records that he now claims he need to see. But, I don't know how to do that.

Over the last 8 years I have learned that the court system is not designed for laymen, everyday, half-way educated people to handle on their own. If you have a life, a job, and responsibilities outside of court, You can simply expect to loose! The party that can afford an attorney to represent them, research the laws, write declarations, calendar hearings with the court, revise declarations, advise you on your rights is the party who is more likely to prevail. Because the unrepresented party has to find a way to do all of this on their own, on top of everything else they already handle.

Regardless, I am doing my best to comply with the orders of the court. But it looks as though i may fail on this one as well. Because to comply with these new set of rules requires money that i do not have.

The income received from my company usually helps to cover our basic living expenses. Frankly, traveling to California for Court every month, is not included in our basic living expenses. For the last 6 months, I have had to pay 60% of my income towards travel and legal expenses. To do this I have essentially been borrowing from my business to pay our legal expenses unfortunately, its credit card is now at its maximum limit as well. This month, I am juggling vendor payments just to cover my companies Payroll, which is only very minimal because I have asked my staff to reduce their hours.

My financial responsibilities are already very heavy and challenging. My attempts to participate in these activities, appearing in California, for hearing after hearing has continued to stretched my financial situation to the brink of Bankruptcy. And they continue to grow. In addition to these travel expenses I also have to pay the court’s Per Diem Fee of $122.50 and the Sentencing Alternatives Program $250. This does not take into account what income i will be loosing to spend two days traveling instead of working.