Pro Per Attorney: Colleen M. Proppé, fighting for justice and financial freedom she earned as the primary caregiver of spectrum fraternal twin sons, Aidan James Costello and Christopher Blake Costello (2002-current).

I love my sons, but their father in California is preventing me from seeing or speaking to them. He was, and continues to be, abusive.

He is using a loophole in the State of California, Registered Domestic Partnership System to avoid paying me any kind of divorce settlement or Long-term, Spousal Support. After working for him and our twins for 15-20 years, as loving wife and intimate partner, who cared for a home, two yards, dogs, all doctors’ appointments, school and aftercare needs for spectrum twins, I was left with nothing and escaped the abuse, but have no way to communicate with my sons. One of my sons recently told me that they have "A family computer", signaling that the father is blocking or resticting all messages from me. I never hear from them when I send Birthday or holiday gifts. I am being forced to not communicate with my only children, even though I was the one abused, and I was an incredibly loving mother and active volunteer in my community and the school system. My extended family has limited income and can not help me hire an attorney, nor should they be forced to in the first place. Actions by the father are continuing to hurt all of us.

I have learned that people somehow assume you can "move on" from something like this and just find someone else, or get a job or forget about your kids. No. I can not. I have been through hell. I am being tortured by my twins' father and the law needs to be fixed. Moms deserve better, and they deserve to be paid for their work. Even a twin nanny would have been paid $35,000 a year for 15 years, or $525,000.

I am fighting for Moms and the underdogs. Putative spouses who were misled by California Law into believing they had all the same rights when they signed their paperwork before 2005.

The loophole occurred when the law was updated in 2005 to give the same rights to ALL Registered Domestic Partners in California, but the State of California and the County of Marin both failed to grandfather in, or notify registered domestic partners who registered in counties that they must update their paperwork with the State of California after 2005.

I am raising funds to pay off $600. I recently paid to a top SF Family Law Appellate Attorney, and to pay for food, transportation and bills while I work Pro Per as my own attorney to help finish my Appeal(which is active in the California court system now<--Click here to read Appellate Letter to Judge Beth Jordan and the Opening Letter for the Appeal in Discrict 1, California). This process could formally fix the law in the State of California, to help all Registered Domestic Partners who registered prior to 2005. One top SF law firm has told me that I not only have a very good case, but that this is a law that definitely needs to be fixed because it is costing the county and State time and money when couples and families who were registered before 2005 choose to separate. The loophole affects thousands of couples and families, their communities and extended families. This affects heterosexual couples, couples who registered as domestic partners, couples with and without children, and also, LGBT couples with or without children. It also affects primary caregivers of children, and those who are in abusive situations and makes it even harder for them to get the money they deserve when they try to leave a long-term relationship.

Spousal Support law is supposed to support inequality and balance things out for those who have less money in a relationship or family when they formally dissolve a marriage or registered domestic partnership. This is a simple fix to update the loophole, but no one has made it happen yet.

Imagine not being able to see your children for years. Not being able to give them a hug or be there for their swim meets. Never getting to see them for a holiday, and their only grandparents, not being able to see them either. I was forced to live in my car when I escaped abuse, as the father would not pay child support on time or fairly. My escape and fight have gone on for 10 years. I have been living in my parents' home while I finish this lawsuit. I am dealing with a narcissistic father, who is denying me money or time with my own sons. The only way to solve this is through the courts.

Please help me raise $600. to pay off the recent (5/1/25) fees I paid by credit card to consult with a top Appellate Attorney, I will finish my Appeal on my own, unless an Appellate Attorney decides to assist pro-bono. It’s time to fix this terrible loop-hole in California Family law.

I have also reached out to Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, and both Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff and asked them to make the current 2005 law for Domestic Partners that requires Spousal Support and Divorce settlements, retroactive for all who registered before 2005.

Although California Law currently states that all Registered Domestic Partners have equal rights, this currently only applies to those who registered with both the county and the State after 2005. Many other registered domestic partnership/couples who only registered in their counties before 2005 have had to pay thousands to go to court and waste time and money to collect Spousal Support. My twins were born in 2002 and their father and I registered with County of Marin that same year. The law changed between 2003-2005, while we were busy caring for new-born twins, and the the county and State did not tell us we needed to update our paperwork. We lived just like a married couple, caring for our kids and sleeping in the same bed, in a rented, 2 bedroom, single family home in Marin County, California.

Please help me finish my Appeal and fix the law for thousands of other couples and families in California. If you wish to donate privately, please choose “Remain Anonymous” on the donation link here.

Thank you!

-Colleen M. Proppé
Loving Mother of fraternal twins, Aidan & Blake Costello

cproppe.com

Fix Loophole in California Law to Help All Families

By Women for Equality

Fix Loophole in California Law to Help All Families

Long-term, Registered Domestic Partners with Kids prior to 2005 Deserve Equal Rights, including Divorce Settlement & Spousal Support

Team Members