What not to do during divorce
Divorce can be an unnerving and emotionally difficult time when you can feel like you constantly have to defend yourself. At times, it may be tempting to take specific actions which could ultimately harm your case and your family. However, by not doing certain things you can help make certain that your case is protected and the process can be more beneficial for you.
Avoid Major Purchases and Spending
An integral piece of most divorce cases is how property and debt will be divided. The court is going to look at your finances, assets, and liabilities in determining how to achieve equitable distribution between you and your former partner. One factor the court can weigh is whether one party deliberately wasted marital assets after the divorce was filed. If you were to make a significant purchase unnecessarily, it could appear you were attempting to create an inequity between you and your former partner. If you have to buy something expensive while your divorce is pending be prepared to explain the reason for the purchase to the court.
Do Not Post on Social Media
It comes as a shock to many people that the information and images they post on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as other social media outlets, are not protected as private. The users on these forums have no expectation of privacy which means anyone who has access to your content can download it and give it to the other party. What you post can be used against you as evidence at trial. The best practice is to disable all of your accounts until the divorce is final. If you feel you must keep your accounts active do not post anything, remove concerning content, and set your security settings to the most restrictive level.
Do Not Involve Your New Partner
It may be that you started seeing someone after the divorce was filed or the relationship may have been the reason for the marriage ending. Whatever the case may be, do not attempt to include your new partner in your divorce case. This means not bringing them to court or to meetings with your attorney. Your appearances in court and time planning your case need to be about you, your former partner, and your children. The presence of this new person could add unnecessary conflict to an already tense situation. To that end, bringing your new partner around your children while the divorce is ongoing is extremely inadvisable. Divorce is painful and confusing for children. When you expose your kids to your new romantic partner while the process is still pending you run the risk of creating deeper trauma for them and endangering your position regarding time-sharing and decision-making.
Do Not be Uncooperative with the Court and Process
While you may not agree, the court may issue temporary orders requiring you to refrain from certain behaviors while the case is pending. This may include not using alcohol when the children are present or not allowing your new partner to be around them. You may also be asked to submit to a psychological evaluation. You need to abide by the orders of the court and comply with reasonable requests. To refuse to do so could create a negative impression with the court and be damaging to your case.
Contact The Draper Law Firm
Knowing what not to do during a divorce is just as important as knowing what actions to take. At the Draper Law Firm, we have experience and knowledge which can help you make choices which will support your divorce case. Please contact us to schedule a free consultation. We invite you to learn more about our firm here.
