Divorce and snakes

Peter, your comment is valid. I was married for 18 and for me, the snakes where not an issue. But, I am remarried and had a question because between the two of us, we have seven kids and I want to expand my hobby, I do work full time, with four kids and 50 snakes, are the snakes your job or do you work full time. Does the wife help with the snakes?
Thanks Keith

Ok...

So here is the deal. My wife and I are going our seperate ways Its been a long time coming and she has now threatened to take my snakes away from me. The cool thing is, I have PayPal receipts for MOST of my snakes prior to us being married "legally". The rest of my snakes, the ones bought this year, were bought based on a loan from my parents. She said that she will get half of them no matter what because we are married. She spends absolutely no time helping me with them and really has nothing to do with the business in general.

I am at a loss as to what to do. Should I "sell" them and give her half the income from the sale or do I let her take me to court and play that game instead. She has told me that she will have the police here on Sunday, when she gets back into town to take her belongings.

Most of you know that she frequents this site for the social aspect of it all, so please, choose wisely in your answers and if you want, message me in private your suggestions.

Originally Posted by StrictlyExotics

Ok...

So here is the deal. My wife and I are going our seperate ways Its been a long time coming and she has now threatened to take my snakes away from me. The cool thing is, I have PayPal receipts for MOST of my snakes prior to us being married "legally". The rest of my snakes, the ones bought this year, were bought based on a loan from my parents. She said that she will get half of them no matter what because we are married. She spends absolutely no time helping me with them and really has nothing to do with the business in general.

I am at a loss as to what to do. Should I "sell" them and give her half the income from the sale or do I let her take me to court and play that game instead. She has told me that she will have the police here on Sunday, when she gets back into town to take her belongings.

Most of you know that she frequents this site for the social aspect of it all, so please, choose wisely in your answers and if you want, message me in private your suggestions.

Oklahoma is an equitable distribution state. The court shall enter its decree confirming in each spouse the property owned by him or her before marriage and the un-disposed of property acquired after marriage by him or her in his or her own right. As to such property, whether real or personal, which has been acquired by the parties jointly during their marriage, whether the title thereto be in either or both of said parties, the court shall, subject to a valid ante-nuptial contract in writing, make such division between the parties as may appear just and reasonable, by a division of the property in kind, or by setting the same apart to one of the parties, and requiring the other thereof to be paid such sum as may be just and proper to effect a fair and just division thereof. [Based on Oklahoma Statutes; Title 43, Section 121]


Marital property can be complex. Items can be hers, yours, or both of y'all's depending on how they are characterized, where the money came from to purchase them, etc.

Many divorce attorneys will give a low cost initial consult to answer some of these questions. Hiding property is a very very not good idea especially in states where the judge can divide property according to what he/she thinks is just and right, because if the judge finds that you are hiding property, the division lines may reflect how they feel about that.
Many states allow the divorcing couple to make their own division. I think it is in your best interests to find a good divorce attorney and pay a little something for a brief consult while y'all are thinking this out, and then use an attorney's services for the divorce itself.

Thanks for replying Lucille. I am not trying to hide anything as she has a general idea of what I have here. What I fear though is, when she tries to bring the police here to grab some of her property, she will head directly to the snake room as that is the room that has the most value inside the home.

IF no papers have been filed then most times the police will not get involved with seperation of property until there is a court order for her to come and remove anything. Anything disputed would stay until there is a court order saying how its to be divided. But also if nothing has been filed either of you could sell the snakes. Once the papers are filed then nothing can be sold or disposed of untile its settled out in court.

She wants me to start an eviction process to get her from being able to reside in the home. She has established residency here and has rights too. But, I dont want to have to go through the hassle of starting an eviction process to just to be able to keep living in my parents home and protect mine and my parents belongings.

Originally Posted by StrictlyExotics

Thanks for replying Lucille. I am not trying to hide anything as she has a general idea of what I have here. What I fear though is, when she tries to bring the police here to grab some of her property, she will head directly to the snake room as that is the room that has the most value inside the home.

If I were you I would call the local police station, you could do it now, and discuss your concerns. Cops are by and large nice people, approachable, and have some idea of the law. I'm sure if she wants her clothes and other stuff and even some furniture you aren't going to stand in the way, you aren't going to need her pink knickers anyway.

But police officers are not in the business of property distribution and I'd be surprised if they would go in and start pulling snakes out of cages at her behest. Whether or not she helped she may in fact be entitled to some of the snakes at the time of property division if those are in fact the high value items there, but now is not the time to decide that. Just in case though, call the police, and go ahead and call a few local attorneys in the morning.

They may be willing to give you brief advice over the phone, and you might even get in to see one for a paid consult tomorrow. Sometimes people try to save a few bucks by putting that off, everyone has bills and expenses; but if you are going to go through a legal proceeding, it is worth the money to get some good legal advice sooner rather than later.

Originally Posted by StrictlyExotics

She wants me to start an eviction process to get her from being able to reside in the home. She has established residency here and has rights too. But, I dont want to have to go through the hassle of starting an eviction process to just to be able to keep living in my parents home and protect mine and my parents belongings.

Hello Dean:

Don't start anything until you speak with an attorney. And until you speak with an attorney hopefully tomorrow stop posting about divorce and property.

I agree Lucille. Ive already explained to my parents whats going on. We will be trying to get ahold of my atty tomorrow. Hopefully he will give me a call back being that its the weekend. As for the police, my parents neighbor is a Lt for the Norman police so I will ask him what he thinks the best thing for me to do is.

She wants me to pay for a weekly for her in the meantime or she will be having the police let her in the home to stay. I have no problems letting her have her clothing and her kids clothing as well. Its just getting to the other things, like money and property where I am trying to draw the line.

Originally Posted by StrictlyExotics

I agree Lucille. Ive already explained to my parents whats going on. We will be trying to get ahold of my atty tomorrow. Hopefully he will give me a call back being that its the weekend. As for the police, my parents neighbor is a Lt for the Norman police so I will ask him what he thinks the best thing for me to do is.

She wants me to pay for a weekly for her in the meantime or she will be having the police let her in the home to stay. I have no problems letting her have her clothing and her kids clothing as well. Its just getting to the other things, like money and property where I am trying to draw the line.

Hello Dean

Go have a beer and stop posting in this thread. The worst thing you can do is go through this stuff in public. PM me if you want.