Divorce can be a rocky road, and the Michigan divorce process can lead people to act in ways that might be completely out of character. There are some situations that can’t be helped during the legal dissolution of a marriage, but there are some behaviors that are hard to forgive, hard to ignore, and hard to wiggle out of legally. Take heed.
1. Property Damage
It may feel deliciously sweet to take a baseball bat to your ex’s car, graffiti their house, or torch their clothes, but that does you no good in the long run and could actually cost you more than those few moments of revenge were worth. If you ruin, dispose of, or sell a piece of property that should have been properly divided, you may find yourself on the hook for reimbursement to your former partner.
2. Slander
You know a lot of secrets about your soon-to-be ex-spouse. Be an adult and keep the secrets, especially if they could jeopardize the person’s livelihood. Screwing around with your estranged spouse’s employment will affect you negatively too in the long run, and that doesn’t make you look good in anyone’s eyes. It just makes you look jealous and petty.
3. Social Media Mayhem
Keep your divorce drama offline. Don’t argue in front of all of your “friends” on Facebook and don’t dish about a new love or post pictures of your recent trip to the Bahamas together. Be an adult – especially, if you have any, for the sake of your children – and even consider closing your social media accounts temporarily during your divorce so you won’t be tempted to misbehave, not even with a snarky comment here and there.
4. Using the Kids
Children are not possessions. They are people. Too many couples try to use their kids as bargaining chips to get what they want from a divorce. Make sacrifices for your child and keep the stress and arguing between you and your estranged spouse. Avoid slandering your significant other to your children or trying to sway them in any way. You’ll only be damaging your relationship with your children at the same time you’re trying to ruin your ex’s relationship with them.
5. Hiding Assets
Discovery is part of every Michigan divorce. Rest assured, if you’re trying to hide a major asset – or just happen to “forget” mentioning that extra car, mutual fund, or overseas bank account, it will come back to bite you in the end. Failure to disclose any assets is almost a sure-fire way to lose what you have. It’s better to be forthcoming than to attempt to hide and lose your assets completely.
Michigan Divorce Help is an east side law firm working in the tri-county area, handling family matters primarily in Macomb County. Contact us to discuss your concerns, questions, and divorce needs.