To ask your CMS tribunal stories?

[thecherryfox]

I’m not going to go into too much detail, but after fighting for years with CMS claiming my self employed ex doesn’t have an income to pay pay maintenance- it’s finally going to tribunal today.

He was abusive and is able to use cms as a way to continue that financial abuse - and often turns into verbal abuse. I just want it to go through the correct channels so I don’t have to communicate with him each week about the money - it’s done through a separate resource and if he has an issue I can direct him to them instead of having to be verbally abused and harassed about it.

like I said, I’m not going into too much detail but have any of you have experiences with a self employed ex and tribunal or just tribunal in general? I’m really nervous, he’s very narcissistic and able to portray the victim very well and manipulate people into believing him - so I’m hoping they see through his lies.

I don't have any personal experience with CMS, but I have known these cocky, narcissistic men to crumble once they get before a judge. They might think they are special and unique, but they seriously underestimate the fact that the courts/ tribunals have heard all their rubbish a thousand times before and won't be impressed by it. I have witnessed someone guilty of the most horrendous harassment physically cringing and trying to tie himself in knots when forced to go before a judge in her Chambers. I've known another, dreadfully abusive husband who was hiding assets be told by a divorce judge that he didn't believe him, he was a liar, and he was awarding 75% of all joint assets that could be found to his wife.

Nothing is guaranteed, but be of good cheer, here's hoping you get justice today. Good luck. 😊

Be as prepared as you can be beforehand, it will help you literally and mentally.

Print out all paperwork, so you have it to hand.

File everything in a binder with tabs to separate, so for example if you have a report of the annual statement of his company from Company's House, print that out and put them in date order in one section.

Any correspondence from him that's pertinent include that (for an example an email that says "I'll send you £X when I close this next deal" or "I just bought myself a nice Rolex", or "I agree James needs extra tuition, book him in and I'll send you half the cost")

Evidence of spending above his claimed salary (Instagram pics of him on expensive holidays, ownership of expensive cars etc)

Evidence of his salary from when you were together and why you have no reason to believe it's decreased.

The cost of his current house, be it rented or purchased from Right Move or similar.

Do a front sheet of all the main bullet points.

Kids ages, date that you split up, total that he's paid so far, total owed.

Include things like:

"Mr X says he earns £15k per year, but currently rents a flat in a block which charges £2k to £2.5k per month, so he's able to afford £24-£30k a year in rent before bills, which doesn't align with his salary."

"Mr X has been to New York, Barbados, Australia and Singapore this year on holidays, as evidenced by his social media. His job does not require any foreign travel."

And so on.

Ask for a screen in the hearing room between you and him, hopefully this will be provided and will prevent him from staring you down.

Good luck.