WHY RETALIATION DURING DIVORCE IS A BAD IDEA

by Van Den Heuvel Law Office

When going through a divorce, you may feel hostile towards your spouse and may even want to seek revenge. This may be particularly true if you feel as though your spouse was to blame for the end of your marriage. However, while retaliating against your spouse may provide relief for a few short moments, they are short-lived. In the end, retaliation of any kind is only going to hurt your divorce case. Below are a few of the most common retaliatory actions taken during divorce, and why you should avoid them.

Leaving Your Spouse With Nothing

Many people find they cannot live together while going through the divorce process. The spouse who leaves the home may do so without their partner knowing, and they may take everything with them when they do. Leaving your spouse without any furniture, or even anything to cook a meal with, will only increase the feelings of resentment and will likely cause your spouse to take negative action against you.

Getting Your Spouse in Trouble

Sometimes, the combative feelings between spouses become so great, one tries to get the other in trouble. They may try to get them fired from their job, report them to the IRS, or even try to get them in trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This does not make a lot of sense. When going through a divorce, spouses typically want to recover a fair settlement, which may become impossible if the other party no longer has a job or has had their assets frozen by the government.

Telling of an Affair

Learning that a spouse has been unfaithful is one of the hardest things a person could ever go through. It is natural to feel vengeful, and many people want to run straight to the spouse of the paramour and tell them of the affair. There are times to bring up an extramarital affair during the divorce process, but it should be limited to the courtroom or during mediation sessions.

Taking the Children

At the beginning of the divorce case, a judge may issue a temporary child custody order that determines which parent the child will live with during the process. Until then, no one should take the children and move with them, particularly out of state. Too many parents use their children as weapons during divorce, and it is extremely damaging to everyone involved. A judge will also not look kindly on the fact that you took the children; you may even be charged with kidnapping.

Our Divorce Lawyers in Grand Rapids will Fight for You the Right Way

Instead of retaliating against your spouse, our Grand Rapids divorce lawyers at Van Den Heuvel Law Office will fight for your rights using the appropriate legal methods. We will negotiate with the other side and raise important issues that will help you recover the full settlement you deserve. Call us today or contact us online to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how we can help.

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