Dealing with Sneaky Divorce Strategies

For anyone involved in a divorce from a partner who is angry and vindictive, there may be some ugly tactics ahead that could definitely make the coming weeks and months (hopefully not years) dismal. There are several crummy things that they could try in order to drag out the process and wear you down. Just a few include:

• Delay Tactics: It can be incredibly annoying for a former spouse to refuse to reply to your texts or calls, walk out of negotiations in a huff, and generally mash any chance of productive communication. They can drag their feet when it comes to letting deadlines pass without acknowledgement, canceling meetings last minute, disclosing required information, and otherwise trying to push things back as a way to keep you in limbo.
• Making You Look Bad to the Kids: Often called parental alienation, your spouse could grumble about you in front of the children, make custody transfers wretched by being late or “forgetting” items the kids need. They could try to block your visits and calls altogether. In worst-case scenarios, they might even lie about you to the kids. All of it is intended to get the kids to take sides against you.
• Telling Lies: In addition to lying to the kids about you, your angry spouse may make up stories about you to other family members, or even the court, claiming you are a bad parent, you have drug or alcohol problems, or you have mental health issues. In the worst of cases, they could accuse you of child abuse or neglect.
• Quitting a Job: One pretty slimy way to get out of alimony or child support payments is to quit a job altogether. It’s one of the most unethical steps that brazen parents use to hurt their former spouse and kids.
• Hiding Assets: One shameful strategy to make life rough on you is to try to bury assets and/or income in order to get a better settlement, including a more favorable alimony or child support agreement for them.

Your Response is Critical

Addressing the kinds of dirty tricks outlined here would be nearly impossible on your own.  You will most certainly want an experienced divorce attorney by your side who can fight for the best possible outcomes for you.  Additionally:

• Document Everything: Keep track of communications, financial transactions, issues with the children, and anything else related to the divorce. You just can’t predict what might happen down the road, so be prepared for anything by having an accurate log of everything.
• Be Your Best: Even though you may feel like you’re going to explode, stay cordial, calm, and respectful in all of your interactions. When communication gets really strained, let your attorney handle it.
• Hire a Forensic Accountant: If you suspect financial misdealing, let a professional delve into the financial questions.

We’ll Get You Through 

The dedicated Boca Raton divorce attorneys at WiseLieberman are rarely surprised by the unethical behaviors of spouses in messy divorces. We know how to anticipate and respond to these situations with a minimum of drama. To discuss your situation, schedule a confidential consultation in our Springfield office today.

Source:

psychologytoday.com/us/basics/parental-alienation