After years of having a marriage on the rocks and never seeing eye to eye, you and your spouse have decided to get a divorce. You have both visited with attorneys, and you’ve even been living apart. So why is your spouse suddenly delaying the divorce process?
There are several ways a spouse can delay a divorce, whether through forcing you to file motion after motion, asking for a continuance, not signing key paperwork by agreed-upon deadlines, or making false accusations. In some situations, they might not have ill intentions but simply aren’t communicating their rationale. The first thing to realize is that you’re not alone. While many clients we work with do all they can to speed up the dissolution of their marriage, others find that the process drags on longer than expected because of one spouse.
If you are confused as to why your spouse would do such a thing, here are a few reasons why.
They don’t want a divorce.
While your spouse may have agreed to a divorce initially, that doesn’t always mean they actually want one. They could have felt forced to make that decision and are delaying because of that reason alone. In other situations, they may have realized the marriage is worth fighting for and attempt to create as much time as possible to perhaps patch things up with you and avoid a costly mistake.
They’re being difficult on purpose.
Yes, there is a high likelihood that your spouse is delaying the divorce simply because the marriage has broken down so much that they want to be as difficult as possible. They are bitter, angry, and resentful, and these feelings can lead to one or more vindictive acts as a way to seek payback.
They’re playing financial games.
To piggyback off the previous item, some spouses will delay the divorce process on purpose to delay child support payments, hide assets, avoid paying attorney costs, etc. They may even love the idea of possibly running up your attorney fees by dragging their feet.
It’s a chance to possibly get more from the divorce.
Your spouse may think that by delaying the divorce process, they are creating negotiating leverage for a variety of key sticking points in your settlement. Whether or not this tactic works out in their favor remains to be seen, but either way, they aren’t interested in moving faster than they have to until it benefits them to do so.
Whether you believe your spouse is delaying the divorce process or not, deciding to end your marriage isn’t easy. The attorneys at Christman Attorneys, PLLC have a unique and refreshing approach to the often turbulent and emotionally stressful disputes arising in the context of divorce, child custody, and other family law cases. Our law firm anchors its representation and legal advice in principles and philosophies that focus on the long-term best interests of children and families.
Although it is not easy, our attorneys are committed to supporting and guiding clients through the dark days of marital crisis.
Please call Christman Attorneys for your legal needs today!
Please consult an attorney for advice about your individual situation. The material on this website and in this or any blog article we publish are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. The attorneys at Christman Attorneys believe in tailoring legal advice and solutions to your own personal circumstances.
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