How to deal with a Vindictive Spouse in a Divorce

Divorce is never an easy process. A vindictive spouse is an element that can make a divorce more difficult than it already is. Vindictive spouses exist in almost 50 percent of divorce cases. Emotions are typically the root cause of some of the vindictiveness. The woman may feel that she lost time and efforts on a person who did not appreciate it. The man may feel he worked hard and did not receive the proper respect. Jealousy and anger play a role in these situations most of the time. 

Not being able to work out agreements with a spouse before the court hearing can prolong the process. Battling over child custody, assets, and support can be as taxing as the process is lengthy. Therefore, a man or woman who is having issues with the spouse may have to refer to a legal specialist for help. The divorce process can be very taxing on both parties and when kids are involved expect that the emotional toll will increase exponentially.

Dealing With a Vindictive Spouse

Dealing with a vindictive spouse may seem difficult. However, someone has to deal with the person to complete the divorce. The best way for the non vindictive spouse to deal with the vindictive spouse is to ignore negativity and antagonizing. The vindictive spouse will want to create drama and possibly use it against the other spouse. Ignoring such provocations will cut down some of the chaos. If some of the chaos starts to get out of hand and using the ignoring tactic no longer works, you may have to involve authorities to protect yourself and your interests. 

A vindictive spouse may also attempt to withhold children from the other parent for visitation and then try to use that incident against the parent. This is a tricky subject that again must be handled very carefully. The best way to handle this is for the violated party to document each time the vindictive spouse has denied visitation. During the hearing, an attorney can bring up these points. The court frowns upon parents who do not attempt to foster healthy relationships between the child and the other parent. Such denial may determine the court’s assignment of custody. 

A person should seek advice from an attorney if the other spouse is behaving in an irrational manner. A well-seasoned attorney can deal with the vindictive spouse formally to prevent contact between the bickering parties. This person can act on the innocent spouse’s behalf or begin mediating. A reliable attorney can also file a motion for a restraining order if the vindictive spouse becomes violent or participates in harassment of any kind. 

If you are in a messy divorce and do not yet have representation, it is imperative that you find established counsel. Most lawyers offer free consultations or inexpensive consultations. In this meeting the attorney will go more in depth about the services that he or she can offer to help. When interviewing an attorney for your divorce, make sure that they are well versed in your particular situation.

Article provided by Phoenix Divorce Lawyer, David Michael Cantor. The Cantor Law Group is an AV rated Family Law firm in Phoenix, AZ.