questions & answers

Question: When my wife and I separated she gave me a noterized letter stating I had met all my financial obligations of the household we shared. Now that we’re proceeding with divorce she is trying to say I owe a bunch of money in loans she took out from her family. Will the noterized letter defend me if we go to trial?

Answer: This is not a simple yes or no question.  It depends on exactly what the letter says, when it was written and signed, your wife's understanding of what she was signing and other factors.  Your best bet is to take the letter to a lawyer and obtain some legal advice.  There are 3 programs in Arizona that you can use to get some inexpensive legal advice and guidance.  One is the Modest Means Program.  For a $75.00 fee, the Modest Means Program will arrange a one hour consult with an experienced attorney.  The telephone number is (866) 637-5341. Both the Maricopa County Bar Association and the Pima County Bar Association have lawyer referral services that offer a 30 minute consult with an experienced attorney.  Maricopa County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $40.00. The telephone number is (602) 257-4434.  Pima County's Lawyer Referral Service offers a 30 minute consultation for a fee of $35.00.  The telephone number is (520) 623-4625.