When you are going through a divorce, you have multiple responsibilities. These responsibilities include submitting the required paperwork to the court and your attorney about your finances, working with the court and your former partner to work out an effective, appropriate parenting plan, and following the court’s orders with regard to your appearance in court, paying your former partner spousal maintenance, if applicable, and its orders regarding child support and parenting time.
There are also some actions that you have the responsibility to avoid. As you work through the divorce process, it is critical for your own benefit that you proceed in a rational, mature manner. This means that you must contain negative feelings about the situation or your former partner and comply with the standard court procedures.
Do Not Post to Social Media
Or at the very least, keep your posting to a minimum and keep the content you post unrelated to your divorce. Speaking badly about your former partner or the court on social media can have a negative effect on your divorce case, as can posting pictures of yourself enjoying lavish vacations or expensive items purchased with marital funds.
Do Not Ignore the Court’s Orders
You might have a temporary parenting time or spousal maintenance order in place while your divorce is pending. Although these orders are temporary, it is important that you obey them. Ignoring a court order may be contempt of court, which can result in civil penalties and a poor record going forward for you.
Do Not Spend Money Beyond your Living Expenses
The court may order that you not touch certain shared accounts or that you do not make any significant purchases. This is because your marital assets need to be divided equitably between you and your former partner. Attempting to run down your savings to keep your spouse from getting them or making large purchases in an attempt to hoard your money can both result in your spouse being given a larger share of your assets to make up for the discrepancy.
Do Not Attempt to Persuade your Children to “Choose You”
When the court determines your parenting time arrangement, it does so by looking at a set of factors that can be used to determine the most appropriate arrangement for the child.
Sometimes, parents attempt to persuade their children to speak poorly about the other parent or play up that parent’s caregiving role to sway the court’s decision. Do not do this. Be honest with your child and the court about your role as a parent.
Work with an Experienced Illinois Divorce Attorney
Divorce can be a difficult, trying process. When you are going through a divorce, work with me, an experienced Illinois divorce attorney. I am here to answer the questions you have and help you make the choices that will benefit you and protect your rights throughout the divorce process. Contact me today to schedule our initial consultation.
