Divorce is hard enough as it is. You have to figure out how you’re going to make ends meet once your divorce is finalized, and your fighting over property and child custody can be time consuming and stressful. That said, with a little bit of diligence and thoughtfulness, you can craft an effective legal strategy that protects your interests in your marriage dissolution. As comforting as that sounds, your best laid plans can be at risk of blowing up if your spouse is a habitual liar who will go to great lengths to prevent you from getting what you want.
Even more concerning is the fact that the court might buy into the lies that your spouse tells. This can skew a judgment in your spouse’s favor, leaving you without the financial resources you need post-divorce, and it can negatively impact your relationship with your child. That’s why it’s imperative that you know how to handle a lying spouse in your divorce proceedings.
Tips for dealing with a habitual liar during your divorce
Sure, being lied to can make you frustrated and angry, but unchecked falsehoods can also disrupt the outcome of your divorce. To prevent that from happening to you, be prepared to do the following in your divorce case:
- Gather and present contradictory evidence: When your spouse lies, you need to set the record straight. There’s no better way to do that than by presenting reliable evidence that contradicts their assertions. Financial records, school records, police reports, and mental health records might all play a role in your case. Make sure you take the proper steps to gather this evidence.
- Document what your spouse says: Speaking of contradictory evidence, your spouse might be the best source of it. By retaining their written communications, including text messages and emails, as well as their social media posts, you can highlight inconsistencies in their assertions, which can then be used to destroy their credibility.
- Don’t get elevated: Your spouse might lie to try to get a rise out of you, hoping that you’ll say something that they can use against you. Don’t let your spouse use you like that. Regardless of how frustrated you feel when dealing with your spouse, take a deep breath and respond in a business-like tone to try to deflate the situation.
- Seek understanding: There’s a reason why your spouse lies so much. They might be using it as a way to shield themselves from emotional harm, or they could be using it to drive towards a desired outcome. If you can figure out what’s motivating your spouse, then you can gain understanding and perspective, which might help you realize that you shouldn’t take their lying so personally. This will make it easier to deal with your spouse while you try to hash out key divorce legal issues.
Be prepared going into your divorce
The last thing you want is to get blindsided in your divorce. So, as you prepare to enter the process, think through the best way to present your legal arguments and anticipate what your spouse might do. If you correctly assess that they’ll lie on key issues, hide assets, or make a play for sole physical custody, then you can develop effective counterarguments to protect your position.
In the end, then, thoroughness and diligence will be crucial to advocating for what you want out of your divorce. We hope that by implementing the tips above, you’ll have a strong start to getting through your marriage dissolution.
