Hello,

My ex abandoned me 2 1/2 years of marriage in April 2004. I divorced her (NYS final decree in September 2005). The house was mine before the marriage and is 100% mine after the marriage.

She left 2 1/2 rooms of her furniture and belongings in my house. She refuses to remove them until the end of May 2006.

My house is tiny and I have other demands that require that space taken up by her stuff. I have asked her to remove her stuff, but she keeps making excuses about not having the time or money to move. This while she voluntarily 'retired' from the workforce and takes vacations all over the globe. She has made "legal" threats against me warning me not to move her belongings from the positions she left them in.

What recourse do I have?

Thank you

Hi, Casper,
If you are officially and legally divorced, papers signed and all, get rid of the stuff.
Your ex is just playing with you, and apparently doesn't want the stuff. Otherwise, she would have moved it by now.
Divorce is final; get rid of it.
Happy New Year!

The best thing you can do is talk to a lawyer about this situation and maybe something can be done about her things. This is just a silly little game she is playing just to be a you know what or maybe she thinks that by leaving her things there you will be reminded of certain things and want her back. Whatever the case she needs to get her junk and get it gone and a lawyer can help you make that happen.

Speak to an attorney and find out what the statute of limitations is for such a case. I'm guessing probably 6 months (which will take you to Mar. 2006.) After then, anything she left behind is legally yours to dispose of as you wish ; keep it, sell it, give it away, trash it, etc.

This should have been addressed by the court, I would call my divorce attorney and get them to give you the opinion.

My opinion is that about one day after the divorce decree was final, it would have been sitting on the curb. And actually it would have been there about one day after she left

How about getting a neutral party to inventory the furniture, videotaping it being packed up and then having it delivered to her place of residence?

Or putting it into a storage unit, taken out in her name?

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Originally Posted by wynelle

How about getting a neutral party to inventory the furniture, videotaping it being packed up and then having it delivered to her place of residence?

Or putting it into a storage unit, taken out in her name?

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Yes, but then he has to pay for those costs and then try to recover the costs.

Tossing it would be easier.

True, but Judge Judy and Judge Millian would both have conniptions. But if he sent her a certified letter stating that if it wasn't picked up by XXX date, it would be placed on the curb. That might fly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wynelle

True, but Judge Judy and Judge Millian would both have conniptions. But if he sent her a certified letter stating that if it wasn't picked up by XXX date, it would be placed on the curb. That might fly.

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Indeed.

Send her a certified letter telling her to remove her stuff by XXX, then toss it. Judge Judy would approve of that for sure! Provided the XXX date wasn't like 2 days after you got the letter.

Talk to a lawyer and see if you can charge storage fees. Your lawer who handled the divorce should be able to help you.

After two years are you kidding ,that stuff should have been gone as it looks abandoned to me.

Check with your lawyer. Then you can probably give it to charity. Don't ever let her know you consulted a lawyer about this either. It sounds like a bizarre psychological avoidance of walking out on you... "after all , her stuff is still in the house" kind of thing. Here is the nice part of being deserted by someone - you generally get more insight and learning from it. She, obviously is still running away, still playing games, and being generally selfish towards you, whereas you have moved on - and want your home back! This is completely understandable. Maybe tell her you've promised it to a charity and it will be given away unless she makes provisions to collect it.
Two years is a seriously long time to give her that leeway, don't you think?