So get this guy's biggest rival for business in town. It doesn't matter if your little town is sympathetic with your position or not, it depends upon what the JUDGE says. Find a local lawyer who will be in front of your judge, who can tell you if you need to do something to remove it from that judge, or if you'll be just fine despite the good old boy thing that's going on with your wife & her lawyer.

She was smart to get someone local. You do the same thing if you can. For every man getting divorced, there's a woman, so there are at least 2 lawyers in every case. Go to the courthouse and find out who are some of the lawyers appearing right now in other cases. You'll find someone.

I do understand Bellfountain's situation. I grew up in a similar town & know evactly what you mean. I also know that ALL the professionals in that town know each other, and they all distrust outsiders who try to come & change what they do. So see if you can find someone they won't think of as an outsider...