Why? Why is a better outcome guaranteed? Because the white guy should be on his side?
Look, I have been pleasantly surprised lately with Taiwanese lawyers before. They side with their client if their client knows what’s what. In this case, I do not think the foundation would bet on a rotten egg. And the lawyer would have several eyes looking at him her.
Well, first of all the can just as easily deal with the situation from the us, he will just get a intl. lawyer working pro bono.
Second, staying in tw he is risking that he looses the case and is blocked from leaving until he paid the ex.
Pay what? Alimony? From what salary?
As I have told you, Taiwanese courts can set alimony but can’t enforce payment, in the same way they can’t enforce visitation rights. This has been done before by several Taiwanese avoiding paying child support: they get a pal to write a fake salary of 22k, which means they cannot pay. Like those laoban who declare bankruptcy when they are hit with a lawsuit.
If our friend Marc leaves, he will be the maligned foreigner who leaves, a stereotype, and hence the judge will not be on his favor. If he brings some high powered foreign attorney, he will be playing to the stereotype of the foreigner imposing his values and abusing «our» people.
This is NOT a statement in fact and has no basis on law! Blocked from leaving Taiwan? Are you high on drugs?
Why would an “international lawyer” in the US work for free in this case?
There is no reason to think this will happen. No lawyer is obligated to work pro bono. And your idea of what an “international lawyer” is, and what such a lawyer can accomplish, is not realistic.
A lawyer in the U.S. can get him a U.S. divorce. Whether or not the Taiwan courts or government will respect the foreign divorce is not a simple yes or no answer. Depends on specific facts that may need to be decided by a Taiwan court.
Therefore, if he wants to live in Taiwan or keep his APRC, he may as well follow through with the process in Taiwan. After all he’s already got a low cost attorney in Taiwan. Just get on with it and follow through.
Maybe I worded it wrong. Wasn’t sure if it was called an international divorce lawyer or just a lawyer but this is what I meant. The divorce would be valid in the US with no guarantee of it being valid in Taiwan. Since I don’t really plan to come back, especially if my wife’s family makes me out to be a scumbag foreigner to the whole country, then I don’t see this being a problem.
I think we are jumping to too many conclusions. Let’s see how this plays out. I will ask my lawyer what to do if my wife’s family wants to take the bs route (lie about violence…etc). If it get’s really bad and extensive, I will take the other option.
The one thing I do have to say though is I am applying for divorce. Even if my wife makes me out to be the bad guy, what’s the point? The judge would just tell her to divorce then.
Hopefully I will hear from laf today with my lawyer’s contact info. Will update here if I do.
though they can say anything, to be picked up by the court, they need a concrete proof.
That’s what the lawyer said as well. Doing this might not even extend the case. I would say more but not publicly. Anyone can pm me for more details.
Go figure the one second I step away from my phone, new Taipei LAF calls me. It’s most likely for the lawyers info. I don’t have their extension number so I am currently chasing down both of them (new taipei by email and hsinchu by phone and email) to find out what happened.
I got my new lawyer! Finally can get things moving again.
Just contacted my lawyer and waiting to hear back. I know I’ve said this a lot but I can’t wait to get this all over with.
Just made an appointment for tomorrow. Things are moving again.
Just one thing that I find odd is that the lawyer is in Taipei city and I am to go court in New Taipei. I was transferred because I was told each lawyer can only go to court in their own cities.
edit: Nevermind; laf just explained it to me. The lawyer they appointed has jurisdiction in both courts.
I’ll let you guys know how it went. Not sure how I feel so far. They had some requirements that I never heard any other lawyers ask for. They needed me to bring my original marriage licence and household registration as well as a seal for my Chinese name. I asked them if I could just sign the papers like at other law firms but they insisted and said I had to make one before the meeting. Also, the lawyer hasn’t replied to my email at all and only had me talk to her assistant by phone. Other lawyers until now contacted me directly. Maybe she was busy but …we’ll see. Not a good vibe so far to be honest.
You’ll be able to get a chop made easily. Most places take no time. Do you know where to go?
For the chop or the appointment?