Divorce Trial - Over Alimony - Full Week Long

This trial was the talk of the town for years afterward. Why? Because the ex-wife (they were only arguing over Alimony -- all other issues as well as the divorce itself had already been decided) wanted everything the man earned, and perjured herself on the witness stand.

This trial would make a good book. The ex-wife, whose entire sordid sexual "history" was part of this trial, sought to punish Mr. Head's client. All of the many deceptions and misuses of his money were front and center for the jury.

Her miscalculation came from not thinking the defense would be ready. We were able to prove:

1. That she had "faked" a series of Polaroid photos of her bruised neck and face to be able to claim he had abused her. She took the witness stand and blatantly lied about the circumstances causing the bruising. In fact, these ephotos were taken by her daughter and mother, at her request, but were really photos of her healing face following a facelift THAT Mr. Head's client PAID FOR!
2. She took his charge cards (in his name only) to about 6 stores and charged over $10,000 in needless purchases just before she filed for divorce. For example, she bought over 400 packages of Tic Tacs, and similar items at local drug stores.
3. She went to a psychologist to convince him that she had been so abused that she had developed multiple personalities. In fact, she was mimicking the book "Sybil", and we were able to totally discredit her about these issues. She lied about never having read the book "Sybil", but when Mr. Head questioned her daughter and her mother, they both recalled her discussing how much she enjoyed that book.
4. She claimed she was SO ABUSED by him that she was UNABLE to have sex. We brought in numerous witnesses to verify her "alley cat" behavior at the Frog Pond Lounge with a series of men that she had met the same night she went to rooms that the men rented at the adjacent Ramada Inn.
5. Mr. Head subpoenaed her gynecologist to bring her medical records. We proved that she had contracted condyloma (a painful sexually transmitted disease) more than 6 MONTHS after she had completely split up with Mr. Head's client. The OB-GYN testified that the condition had NOT been there before and that the painful nature of these genital sores would require her to get immediate medical attention and medication.
6. Before she turned over the ex-husband's part of the household goods (setllement agreement of the split of personal property from the marriage) she used a hammer to damage the furniture and his car so badly that they were worthless.
7. She asked for permanent alimony of $1650 per month from a man whose takehome pay was $2300. We asked the jury to award her $800 per month for one year, and then cut her off. That is what they did. We feared that if she received NOTHING, she might appeal that, which would cost Mr. Head's client even more money.

This case had many more twists and turns, and ran into the late evening twice. The woman's own daughter (her natural child, and my client's adopted child) was our star witness, basically telling the jurors that she feared her mother who had threatened her life on more than one occasion.

Sadly, the trial judge for the case, Judge Joe Gaines has since passed away.