What Are The Top 3 Mistakes You Are Making In Your Separation or Divorce?

What Are The Top 3 Mistakes You Are Making In Your Separation or Divorce?

Let’s face it.  It’s easy to get totally frustrated and emotional when you are going through a difficult and complicated separation and divorce.

In fact, you can easily damage your family law case with bad behavior in how you deal with your former spouse, the judge in your case and your former spouse’s lawyer.

Hi, my name is Thomas O’Malley.  I’m an experienced family lawyer in Durham Region and the GTA.

Here’s the top 3 mistakes you can make in the heat of your separation or divorce:

1. Make threats and damaging statements in social media posts

People just can’t seem to help themselves with this really bad tactic.  They put every nasty and inappropriate comment about their ex-spouse on their Facebook personal page, Instagram, and other social media sites.

I continue to see more and more of these comments attached to the other spouse’s court materials to show the court what type of person their spouse can be and how they treat them.

The problem is that it’s so easy to post these inappropriate comments when you just received a message from your ex-spouse that you don’t like.  You then quickly make a nasty comment on social media in response in the heat of the moment.

However, your ex-spouse can easily use these comments against you later in court.

You must learn to cool down before you make any comments on social media.  This skill of letting the anger and frustration pass will save you so many problems in family court!

You must also apply this principle to emails and text messages.  Do not write angry emails and text messages to your ex-spouse or their lawyer.  They will be used against you!

2. Don’t Put Your Kids in the Middle of Your Separation or Divorce

You must truly look out for your kids’ best interests in your separation or divorce.

Don’t use them to spy on your ex-spouse.  Your kids will resent you for that and your relationship with the children can easily deteriorate.

Encourage your children to have a good relationship with the other parent.

In fact, the court is more likely to give custody of the children to an access-friendly parent.  The court wants to ensure that the custodial parent will facilitate access as much as possible between your kids and the other parent.

3. Don’t In Any Way Indicate You Are Hiding Assets!

A fundamental principle of Ontario family law is that you must make full financial disclosure.

If you in any way indicate you are hiding financial assets or property, you seriously damage your credibility in family court.

It then becomes much more difficult to reach a fair and reasonable settlement with your former spouse.

In short, do not in any way suggest that you are hiding some assets.  This will only hurt your case.

If you have any questions about your separation, divorce or family law case and you would like our help, there’s a few ways to contact our office.  You can leave a message on my Facebook law office page, visit my website at www.canadiandivorcelegaladvice.com, or call me directly at 905-434-8837.

We would be happy to speak to you.

Oh, by the way, did you know you can protect your family law rights and get essential information on settling your family law issues with your former spouse with the daily indispensable family law advice and tips at my FREE Facebook group?

Click here to find out more: Durham Region Separation and Divorce Legal Support Group