Story Archive

Alimoany

“Bum.” “Loser.” “Alimony/adult child support.” These, according to Francis Wagner’s lawyer, are among the messages his ex-wife Diane has written on the memo lines of his alimony checks. The lawyer warned her to stop, so Diane Wagner of Hopatcong, N.J., started writing “FOAD” — which she denies is an instruction to Francis to do by himself what he can no longer do with her and then die. Intentional infliction of emotional distress, says the lawyer. Both Wagners have cancer, and Diane has unsuccessfully tried to get the alimony reduced because of her strained budget; she claims she was the “victim” in the marriage, and that she agreed to pay alimony because a trial was beyond her means. Francis doesn’t work. “What more blood does he want from me?” she asks. But the lawyer has filed suit asking for damages for the insulting memo messages. “A reasonable person under similar circumstances could not be expected to endure such harsh and extreme abuse that is being applied by the defendant in her compounding intentional acts designed to hurt the plaintiff,” the lawsuit complains. (AC/Parsippany Daily Record) ...A reasonable person wasn’t expected to.