Deborah L. Thomson

Divorce is emotionally and financially draining. Florida is a no fault state and Hillsborough County Family Court does not decide on custody but on time-sharing. That means if your spouse cheats on you that you can’t sue him for it and get full custody of the kids- you have to agree to split time a...nd responsibilities. I called Women’s Law Group and had first contact with Susan. She is a very warm, motherly type who immediately makes you feel welcome and cared about. I had no idea what to expect throughout the entire process and scoured the internet for information. At my first meeting with Deborah Thomson, she listened to my story and presented my options. She was very honest that the court requires mediation and both parties are encouraged to resolve the business issues via this route. Deborah was very straightforward and told me what my best options would be to keep costs at a minimum and to keep the decisions with us instead of the mercy of a judge. Unfortunately, I had a spouse who refused to negotiate much. Mediation took all day and the only thing we could agree on was that he had to leave the home but I had to pay him alimony. Fortunately, we got the price down significantly and it was worth it to get him out (the only other way to have him removed would have been if he physically abused us). He wanted complete financial support and full access to our infant daughter. It was a ridiculous proposal and I was not going to budge. The thing I discovered he’d been purchasing and abusing street drugs while she was in his care so I didn’t want him alone with her. Low and behold, his lawyer fired him and he wouldn’t mediate any further so, we ended up going to trial. I was terrified that the judge would give him what he wanted. Deborah fought hard for me though. She was very invested in my case and found legal precedent to allow us access to my spouse’s medical records. That gave us the evidence we needed, to not only present a strong case to the judge, but to also collect a strong deposition supporting the facts. The judge did rule in my favor – he stopped alimony and granted a few hours of supervised visitation, but allowed my spouse to rehabilitate himself with several requirements after which he could petition the court for more access to our child. Finally, I am in the military but could not get approval for relocation at the time of the divorce. Once I got orders I again employed Deborah. She helped me navigate this process as well and I was able to move with my daughter. I can tell you that I spent a lot of money, especially since we went to trial. Legal services aren’t cheap, plus you pay court fees and the mediator. Deborah didn’t try to swindle me- she always presented the best options for my situation. I did take out loans and borrowed from family but IT WAS COMPLETELY WORTH IT. Remember that you have to be honest with yourself and your lawyer and you have work to do too. It’s time consuming, gut wrenching, and exhausting. When you have questions or doubts call Susan at Women’s Law Group. Let Deborah fight for you, I’m so glad that I did. It was probably the most important decision of my life.