Avoid these 4 common mistakes to protect your position in a divorce.

Contested divorces have the potential to become quite bitter, especially in cases where one spouse may not want the divorce. All too often, one or more of the parties will try to gain an advantage for themselves by coming up with what they think is a brilliant plan for gaming the system or intimidating their spouse. However, taking such action can backfire, with potentially serious consequences. Learn about 4 common mistakes often made during the divorce process and why you should avoid them.

Hiding Income from the Courts

One common error divorcing spouses make is to try to hide assets or income from one another in an attempt to influence their property division or support agreements. However, very few individuals have the knowledge or ability to hide assets and income effectively. Simply leaving them off the disclosure list will not work. The deception ends up being uncovered by the other spouse’s attorney and/or forensic accountant, and contempt of court could apply.

Quitting Your Job

Sometimes people get the idea into their heads that they should quit their job (or deliberately get fired) in order to avoid having to pay a high amount of alimony or child support. This is another mistake you want to avoid. If your ex can prove that you have the ability and opportunity to work at the same level of compensation you had previously, you will not escape your support obligations. This strategy can’t be used by a low-earning spouse to secure more support either.

Being Hateful on Social Media

When emotions run high during a divorce, it can be very tempting to vent on social media. However, you need to be very careful about what you say and how you say it. Worst case scenario, making threats that reasonably cause your ex to fear for their safety could expose you to criminal penalties. Even if no criminal charges are brought, you risk having your angry or hateful statements used against you in a custody battle.

Domestic Violence

Sadly, in some cases spouses resort to emotional or even physical abuse in an attempt to intimidate or frighten their ex into agreeing with their terms for the divorce. This is a huge mistake, as a history of domestic violence would almost certainly affect the outcome of your case if your spouse decided to pursue litigation. You might lose custody of your kids as well as the right to receive alimony from the abused spouse. Plus, you could face criminal prosecution.

Get Expert Advice Now

If you want to learn more about what you can do to protect your rights and interests in a divorce case, reach out to experienced divorce attorney Torrence L. Howell today.