My husband showed up 15 minutes later wearing a suit I’d never seen before, probably borrowed or bought specifically for this. He looked reasonable and calm, like a concerned spouse who just wanted to work things out. His lawyer was with him, a woman in her 50s who kept glancing at me with this expression that seemed almost sympathetic.
When they called our case, we all filed into the courtroom and took our seats. The judge was a man in his 60s with reading glasses that he kept pushing up his nose. He reviewed the paperwork for a few minutes while we sat in silence. Then he started asking my husband questions about the incident where he’d entered the house after being told to stay away.
My husband’s voice was steady and polite as he explained that he just wanted to talk to his wife like adults. He said he didn’t realize using a key he’d had made months ago would be considered breaking in. The judge asked him about the 30-day notice to vacate and whether he understood that the house belonged to me as separate property.