What to do if spouse is missing for years?

Thank you Icon. I will try that. One question: I might have misheard but isn’t the family not allowed to go to the mediation session? I was under the impression from my lawyer that it was private. Like her, me and maybe our lawyers. I might have mistaken my lawyer and didn’t clarify on that.

Hopefully, they won’t. TBH I don’t know and I am not sure the many Latinas I know who are divorced did try anything like mediation, but I’ll ask.

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If they had divorces, I think they did. I was told by my lawyer mediation is mandatory. Like a negotiation hearing that occurs before the court trial. She also discribed it as private. No audience allowed.

the length of summary court is with in one month, and usual court is 6 months.

Do not run away with your tail stuck between your legs. Man up, grab your cajones, and stand up for yourself, your rights and most importantly, your DIGNITY!

See it through to the end. You’ll be relieved that you did!

PM Spaint for consultation! He’s a great chap who has been through the ringer, but came out on top through staying calm and steady perseverance! You can too, but you have to have get your head straight!

Yeah, the lawyers won’t tell you that because they don’t want to discourage you. He/she is just trying to not make you sad.

It is much easier if you just got an international lawyer back home, and there you got your family as well who can help you. Why stay here and deal with this all alone when you can be home with your family?

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Getting a lot of advice, some conflicting. I’ve decided to run all this by my lawyer. Including the time frame and making my decision from there. I am eager to get back to my family. My grandfather passed away and my grandmother is by herself. I’ve had a very close relationship with her since I was a child and called her often during my time here. My family is urging me to come back so they can help me. I was planning to live with my grandmother and take care of her while I dealt with a international divorce lawyer there. I was thinking maybe the best course of action was to clear my name here before leaving but some of you guys painted a pretty dark picture of me getting discriminated against by the locals and the court case taking extremely long. I will report back after I talk to my lawyer on what I decide to do. Once again thank you so much to everyone. I appreciate the time you take out of your busy schedules even if the news isn’t good.

A post was split to a new topic: Topic segregation!

Running away from this conflict is not the correct or just course of action. I only offered you a possible scenario, not that I have any magical insight into what’s actually going to happen with your case.

Wanna happier scenario? All righty then.

Your wife is served, she doesn’t show, the judge grants you a summary divorce within less than a month. You change your Chinese name, you update your address, you update your APRC, you update your Open Work Permit (which of course you have because it’s required by law, irrespective of your marital status), you then take a leave of absence from Taiwan for 2 years, so you don’t lose your APRC and if you’re not ready to come back at the 2 year mark, you take another 2 year leave of absence, and after the total 4 you’re still not ready, extend by another 2 years. When and if you decide to come back to Taiwan, you still have your APRC and open work rights. Happy ending.

How’s that? Feel better now?

Now suck it up and finish this!

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OP, You really want to be here still 1 year from now, and no closer to getting your divorce?

You know deep down this will not end well.

It’s better to back down and not to fight

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You might be right. I will talk it over with my lawyer but going home and getting a international divorce lawyer seems smarter. Doesn’t sound like I will get a fair trial here from what people are describing here.

Sure, you should talk with her/him, but keep in mind your lawyer might not be completely honest with you

you might not or might, who knows.
There is a good chance you can get a taiwanese divorce, so the laf gave you a support.

You have at least to try it. First of all, you are aware of the law and have proper representation. This was not some back of the bus ambulance chasers, but a foundation which whole task is to get people their day in court. And you deserve that chance. Do not get afraid before you start.

True, this may not end easily. But it will be way faster and cheaper than an international lawyer. Moreover, in family law matters, your presence will be required to testify, sign this, sigh that. Imagine hopping from US to Taiwan every time it is required. Plus it will give more fuel to their argument if «he left».

If you want to make an informed choice, do ask a proper lawyer with knowledge of Taiwan family law to give you an estimate and compare.

Look, as I said before, from what I have seen, people whocone out badly from a divorce did not know the local law. They expected to have the same rights and same procedures as abroad. And this ain’t Kansas. Yes, you are a minority, an appendage, but at least in paper, you are protected in this case and you have the right to be heard in court.

Your marriage is kaput, now it only needs the judge’s certificate of death. Neither your wife nor her family can resuscitate a cadaver, it is not even a zombie. And not even a mummy because it stinks. So what is the big deal? Whatever they say does not affect the bottom line: divorce. Immediate and effective.

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He doesn’t need to come to tw all the time, he gets an international lawyer. And international lawyer can handle all international manners.

Why should he risk all this trouble when he could just easily go and spend time with his loved ones, and have the international lawyer deal with everything for basically the same cost and most likely far better outcome ?

Total bullshit statement here! International attorney is going to cost big bucks!

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He will get one who does the work pro bono

And besides, even if the lawyer cost a bit he can offset that with the far better out come of the divorce

Eh how easy is it to find a lawyer savvy on Taiwan’s divorce law where he lives in the U.S.? Similar costs…how much? He is receiving assistance here.

I’d rather have him find the lawyer first then jump. And still keep the APRC at all costs.

If he can finish this here and now, it will give him great peace of mind abroad. He can pick up his life and start again freely. Right now, this situation is a Pandora’s box full of nasty surprises…allegedly. We will not know until he has his day in court.

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You beat me.

you must realise that your financial standard is very different from many of us.