Managing divorce with a high-conflict Ex
Divorce can be hard even when the couple agrees and commits to being civil and fair with one another during the process. When one person decides to engage in combative and aggressive tactics unnecessarily, this painful experience can become almost unbearable. While going through a divorce with a high-conflict ex can be stressful there are ways to manage your case so you can move on with your life.
Get Counsel on Your Side Now
When divorcing a person who is prone to hostile behaviors you can expect they will attempt to intimidate you into agreeing to terms which benefit them. This may be something he or she has done throughout your relationship with relative success. As such, this person knows which buttons to push and how to hurt you the most. In this situation, you absolutely need an experienced divorce attorney to protect you and your interest. Your counsel will be able to stop abusive tactics and provide guidance as to how to navigate your case without being influenced by your former partner’s conduct.
Set and Maintain Solid Boundaries
Breaking out of an unhealthy relationship means making changes not only to your surroundings but to yourself as well. This could include learning to stand up to your ex by setting defined limits and keeping them. For instance, he or she may not be living in the home any longer but may feel to drop by unannounced. In that situation, you may need to let your former partner know that this is unacceptable and that visits to the home are to take place according to a schedule or with your permission. If your ex does not honor your wishes, involve your attorney.
Get Everything in Writing
When a high-conflict personality is challenged during divorce, they tend to try and create problems for the other party. If you are now maintaining boundaries and seeking to end the marriage, this could be a time when your ex feels the most threatened and may engage in more manipulative and deceptive behaviors to derail you and your case. Don’t have conversations about the case with them at all. Direct all discussions to your counsel. If they insist on trying to discuss issues with you, tell them to put everything in writing via email or text. Send all communications to your attorney and refrain from replying. That way they cannot claim you said or agreed to anything or attempt to exert their influence over you outside of the protection of counsel.
Divorcing a high-conflict partner can take time and be an exhausting process. However, with the right attorney as your advocate, you will be able to impede your ex’s efforts, get through the experience, and move on with your life. We understand what you are going through and know how to deal with high-conflict parties during divorce. Please contact us to schedule a free consultation. We invite you to learn more about our firm here.
