Well, of course I was using the word in a figurative sense; yes, you are right that disempowered is more accurate. Mhhh, the lawyer... keeps me on my toes: una day says una thing, the next, another... and I feel very upset each time she asks for my age, number of years married, and so on. It's like she is not fully invested in my case. After telling me to come with a number for the alimony, later I told her by email if it wasn't supposed to be the other way around???? She is the expert, for Christ' sake!!! At the beginning of the case she gave me the idea that I could get alimony for life because the lenght of the marriage (almost 28 years), very few work experience in the States (I spent 12 years as a housewife), my disability... but then, she kept going back and forth between the idea of alimony for life and how difficult was to prove that I needed my soon to be ex- to continue to support me, and the move is very risky to present before the judge. Her indecisiveness keep me on my toes: after each meeting with her, I come back home feeling physically ill and in the dumps, crying myself out...