Blog Post

Monica Albear

Posted by: Matthew L. Sanchez
September 22, 2009
Topic: The FLF Staff Talks Here!!

Hello to all of my present and future clients and friends. My name is Matthew Legan Sanchez and I am a new attorney at The Family Law Firm. Before I jump into the meat and potatoes of my first blog, I feel that I should let you know a little about myself.

Over the past few years I've had the opportunity to work at several law firms in Albuquerque: namely the Branch Law Firm and Sanchez, Mowrer & Desiderio, P.C. Personally, I have never experienced a positive work environment similar to the atmosphere at The Family Law Firm.

For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to spend time at the Firm, the atmosphere in the office is similar to an extended family. Don't get me wrong, everyone's family has their ups and downs, but in the end family is family.

It's funny that I compare the Firm to an extended family, because I was initially introduced to the mastermind behind the entire operation, Felissa Garcia, by her nephew, as well as the Firm Administrator, Jacob Olsen.

Jacob and I have known each other for over a decade and were close friends all throughout our time at Del Norte High School. I've known Jacob and his family for over a decade, and some of my fondest memories involve the time that I spent at his mom's dance studio, Baila! Baila!...which was originally founded by Felissa and Jacob's mom, Israela Garcia.

Based on my long friendship with Jacob and his family, working at the Firm is similar to working for my own family.

With the waters cleared on how I landed here, I want to roll out the red carpet of prose for the true star and purpose of my first blog, Monica Albear. For those of you that haven't had the fortune of knowing Monica, she is a soft spoken, intelligent, and loving woman who is a mystery to modern science. I'm certain that Bill Nye the Science guy would be dumbfounded that her small frame is able to hold such a massive heart.

One unfortunate aspect of life is the fact that bad things tend to happen to good people. In addition to this fact, over the years I have learned through personal experience that in life when it rains, it truly pours. Keeping these phenomenons in mind, the last month of Monica's life has resembled a tsunami.

I had the opportunity to meet Monica during my first week at the Firm, during a NM Child Custody hearing before the Honorable Violet C. Otero. In the wake of a tragedy that left her ex-husband dead, Monica faced a new horror of having her two beautiful children stripped away by her ex-brother in law that asked the Court for full custody of her children. Lacking any basis or support, Monica's ex-brother in law claimed that she was an unfit mother and asserted that it was in the best interests of her children to move them to a state that they have only visited a few times in their respective lives, Missouri.

As the hearing unfolded I sat bewildered by the utterly baseless claim that Monica was an unfit parent. All of the facts that were presented pointed in the opposite direction. It was glaringly apparent that Monica was a responsible, dedicated and loving mother. As a direct result of this fact, the opposing counsel was unable to articulate a single reason why Monica was an unfit mother.

During the hearing, Monica was eventually called to the witness' stand in order to tell her side of the story. As Monica was questioned by both attorneys, two facts became instantly apparent: 1) it would be a miscarriage of justice to give custody of the children to Monica's ex-brother in law, and 2) the opposing counsel was being out-lawyered and dominated by Matthew Torres, an Associate at The Family Law Firm.

As the hearing drew to an end, it became exceedingly apparent to everyone in the court house that Monica was a dedicated mother that deserved full custody of her children. The emotional high water mark of the hearing is best expressed from a statement Monica made during her testimony on the witness stand when she was asked by Judge Otero if she would permit her children to visit the parents of their deceased father. In response to the questions, Monica paused for a moment to gather her thoughts and gazed up at the judge with tears in her eyes. Staring up at the judge, while attempting to maintain her composure, Monica responded..."my children have already lost one member of their family, I don't want them to lose two more".

Visibly moved by Monica's response, Judge Otero took a moment to mentally digest the magnitude of the statement, and then proceeded to call a brief recess to speak with both attorneys in her private chambers.

As Judge Otero returned to her bench, Monica sat anxiously awaiting the results of the private meeting. Judge Otero sat at her bench, with an unwavering gaze aimed towards Matt Torres, Monica and me. After looking over the file on her desk, she announced that the opposing counsel had reached the decision to withdraw their case.

Tears began streaming down Monica's cheeks as she listened to Judge Otero's statement. With a look of joy plastered across her face, Monica waited for Judge Otero to finish her statement, and then gave Matt Torres and me a hug. With Monica's tears falling on my shoulder, I knew that I made the right choice in my decision to become a lawyer.

In life when it rains it pours. Over the past month Monica Albear has endured enough rain to cause the Rio Grande to overflow. The rainbow is beginning to form and the clouds are clearing on Monica's life. Monica definitely deserves some sun for a change.