The Dreaded Pink Binder

I arrived in court for our official divorce trial with my pink binder in hand.  In case you haven't noticed by now, I've learned to document everything.154 exhibits were entered into evidence that day-- just from me.  The attorney who graciously offered to review my paperwork prior to the trial was amazed.  He told me that I could work in any attorney's office in State of California with the case I had put together.My friends who went to court with me know all about the famous pink binder.  It is 3-inches thick and color-coded with every possible exhibit under the sun.   This was my life for 2.5 years.  One friend who came to court with me called his buddy afterwards and said, "Work things out with your wife-- divorce is gnarly and you never want to go through what I just saw".  I have to disagree with that statement.  I don't think divorce needs to be this way nor should it be this way.  If you are dealing with two sane, rational people then things should be much easier.  I knew what I was up against and therefore, the pink binder was my lifeline.While in court, this 5'2", normally peaceful, fun-loving and happy-go-lucky blonde girl goes into battle mode.  I developed a system for documenting my case which helped to keep me sane through this process.  That pink binder was my entire case: Trial Brief, Exhibit List and 154 pieces of evidence to back up every accusation that I prepared to present.That pink binder also held tokens of strength: my biological mom's pearl necklace was tucked in a zip lock bag in a pocket, a letter from my dad, a picture of my grandfather, an old email from my aunt, a card from my best friend, a keepsake piece from my sister, a poem from Glenn and photos of my daughters.  I also packed a hand-written card from my daughter that said, "I love you verey much.  You are the best mom ever".  I packed my support system into that binder and I went into court prepared to fight.###One Mom's Battle: Our mission at One Mom’s Battle is to increase awareness of Cluster B personality disorders (Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder) and their impact upon shared parenting and the Family Court System which includes Judges, CPS workers, Guardian ad Litems (GAL), Parenting Coordinators (PC), Custody Evaluators, therapists and attorneys. Education on Cluster B disorders will allow these professionals to truly act in the best interest of the children.History of One Mom's Battle: In 2009, One Mom’s Battle began with one mother, (Tina Swithin), navigating the choppy waters of a high-conflict divorce in the Family Court System. Since then, it has turned into a grassroots movement reaching the far corners of the Earth. Tina's battle spanned from 2009 - 2014 during which time she acted as her own attorney. Ultimately, Tina was successful in protecting her daughters and her family has enjoyed complete peace since October 2014 when a Family Court commissioner called her ex-husband a "sociopath" and revoked his parenting time in a final custody order.Tina Swithin: Divorcing a narcissist? Tina Swithin's books are available online at Amazon (print, Kindle or audio format). Each year, Tina offers life-changing weekends of camaraderie and healing at the Lemonade Power Retreat.  Tina also offers one-on-one coaching services and a private, secure forum called, The Lemonade Club, for those enduring high-conflict custody battles. [wp_ad_camp_1]