Donald W. Belveal

I paid Belveal $50 for a consultation in 2001 for a common-law marriage divorce. He assured me it was a good case, but he would need a $5,000 retainer. After my ex started a fire at our home (one of his many threats he used on me), I brought the money & a case full of paperwork. My first court dat...e was for a restraining order. Belveal didn't bring any of my papers to court. If I didn't have several items with me that day, my case would've been dropped before it even began. Belveal had assured me that he was very knowledgeable about common-law divorces, but he complained to me that he had to spend the whole weekend researching common-law for my court date the next week. I had sold most of my belongings to pay for his services, so I couldn't afford to hire another attorney. Thankfully, the RO was granted. Belveal would call me several times a week to convey demands from my ex. He wanted me to leave the house, but I didn't have a place to go. My ex made over $100,000.00 yearly and could afford alternative housing. I worked at KFC and had received assistance from Social Services for medical and my kids for many years because my ex signed numerous documents. I was told to have all utilities put in my name and to keep up the maintenance. Belveal said witnesses I wanted weren't necessary. I wanted our insurance agent of 13 years, someone from the phone company to show I had been listed as his wife, someone from the IRS (showing that his claiming my children, volunteer work mileage & all of my earnings in our joint business) & more. He only wanted 3 of my friends. I have Crohn's Disease which my ex used as a reason to not have a "paper marriage" because my medical bills could end up bankrupting us. He used stress as a tool of violence against me. Almost daily I would have to deal with Sheriff Deputies that were called to to harass me. I was hospitalized numerous times. Belveal would leave me a message to call him back in Colorado Springs where he also worked as their child support attorney. I didn't have a way to return his calls. Why were both me and Colorado Springs being billed at the same time for Belveal's services? We had one court date for temporary orders, and one more for a motion filed by my ex where Belveal resigned from my case. All of the money I had paid him was gone. I was left with legal aide. I lost my case and almost my life due to suicide attempts. The judge told me to file an appeal. I was also evicted while i was hospitalized. Because my work history was in my ex's name for Social Security, I only receive SSI because I didn't have enough work history. Belveal stated that his wife worked for Social Services and that receiving assistance from DSS couldn't be used as a defense against our marriage. Belveal said he stopped that defense at his last hearing. That was always my ex's main defense. Why wasn't my ex charged with unjust enrichment for all of the benefits he received because of me? When I called Belveal after receiving his letter that he had resigned, he stated even if I lose the divorce, my case was the best case of palimony he had ever seen. Was it a misrepresentation that he had never even mentioned this to me earlier? Thanks!