Dishonesty leads to many divorces. And while you might be heartbroken over the lies that your spouse has told you, starting the process of ending your marriage may not bring an end to the deception. In fact, a lot of people who seek divorce find themselves frustrated and angry as they try to cut through the lies that are told during their marriage dissolution proceedings.
On account of these frustrations, many individuals try to finalize their divorce as quickly as possible so that they can move on with their lives. But moving too quickly through your marriage dissolution can put you at risk. You might lose out on assets that you’re otherwise entitled to, and you may end up giving in on key issues that are important to your future, including spousal support and time with your kids.
Don’t let that happen to you. We know that dealing with a lying spouse can be difficult, but there are some things that you can do to try to ease the stress, protect your interests, and position yourself to achieve the best outcome possible under the circumstances.
How to deal with your lying spouse in your divorce
To effectively deal with your spouse in your divorce, you’re going to need to be prepared. Here are some things that you can do to better equip yourself for your divorce proceedings:
- Reduce communications: You have a long history with your spouse. As such, their lies might trigger an emotional reaction from you that can lead to more conflict, stress, and delay in your divorce. By minimizing your contact with your spouse, you can reduce all of that tension to a significant extent. You’re still going to have to communicate with them, of course, but even those communications you can filter through your attorney so that they’re more productive.
- Anticipate the lies: You know your spouse well. Therefore, you’ll probably be able to quickly identify which issues they’ll lie about in your divorce. If you can anticipate those lies, then you can be better equipped to address them when they come up.
- Take notes: To protect yourself and box your spouse into the statements that they make, it’s a good idea to take notes about what your spouse says. This will also make it easier for you to refer back to their inaccurate statements when you need to do so.
- Put it all in perspective: You might find it helpful to remember that your spouse is lying for a reason. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a defense or coping mechanism, in others it’s an indication of a deeper seeded mental health issue. Regardless of the exact cause, putting their lying in perspective can help you not take it personally, which can reduce the stress that you experience throughout the process.
- Hold your ground: Regardless of what your spouse says, you need to be prepared to hold strong on your positions. You’ll have to be willing to negotiate, of course, but don’t give into your spouse’s demands just because you don’t want to deal with their lying anymore.
Develop the divorce strategy that best protects your interests
There’s too much at stake in your divorce to simply give in to your spouse’s demands, even if those demands are aggressive and even threatening in nature. Although it can be stressful to stand up to your spouse, that’s not something that you have to do on your own. An attorney who is experienced in handling divorce matters can help you craft the strategy that you need to position yourself for a successful outcome.
To learn more about how to ready yourself for divorce, consider discussing the facts of your case with one of these attorneys who you think will give you the advocacy that you deserve.
