Dating During Dissolution: Will Getting Back On The Dating Scene Hurt My Chicago Divorce?
For some people, the best remedy for a broken heart, or at least a broken marriage, is to get back out on the dating scene. Divorce proceedings can take time, especially if there are significant disagreements to work out, and it is also not far-fetched that even someone not out actively in the dating scene might meet a new romantic interest during a pendency of a Chicago divorce. In addition, in some divorces, a new love interest of one (or both spouses) may have sparked infidelity and/or trust issues that led to its demise. In any event, those who are dating during the pendency of a Chicago marriage dissolution proceeding might wonder whether their new significant other will affect their Chicago divorce, especially when it comes to determinations about significant issues like child custody and property division.
Dating During the Pendency of a Chicago Divorce: Child Custody and Property Division
Child custody and property division are two of the most hotly contested issues that routinely come up in Chicago divorce proceedings. Indeed, who will make important decisions about the children and who will raise them, and how marital assets such as properties, cars, and bank accounts will be divided are certainly issues that most people care deeply about. Accordingly, when a party to a divorce starts seeing another person romantically during the divorce proceedings, they may wonder if that fact will negatively impact their divorce case. Simply put, the fact itself that a party to a Chicago divorce is dating another person romantically during the pendency of divorce proceedings has, most likely, little impact on the outcome of a divorce. Indeed, Illinois is a no-fault divorce state and there is no “moral” value attached by a court to the simple fact that one party is dating a new person that would affect the divorce proceedings. However, a court may examine the significant other of a party to a divorce in some circumstances, such as in the case of determining child custody. If a parent in a contested divorce is seeing another person and that person is in the child’s life, the court may want to scrutinize the new significant other in determining the “best interests of the child” in making child custody determinations. In sum, while the mere fact that a party to a divorce is dating a new person during the divorce has little relevance to significant divorce issues, the court ultimately may examine all the factors surrounding a divorce, including a new love interest of one of the parties, especially when it comes to child custody.
Should I Date During My Chicago Divorce?
Ultimately, whether it is advisable for a person to date during the pendency of their Chicago divorce depends on a variety of different factors, and is case-specific. As a practical consideration, the introduction of a new relationship or significant other during a pending divorce may further inflame tensions and controversies over contested divorce issues, which can result in a more prolonged and costly divorce. At the end of the day, it is best to speak with an experienced Chicago divorce lawyer about your rights and options in your particular divorce case. The experienced Chicago divorce lawyers at the law offices of Birnbaum Gelfman Sharma & Arnoux, LLC offer a confidential consultation to listen to your story, and to see if they can help fight by your side in your Chicago divorce. Contact the offices of Birnbaum Gelfman Sharma & Arnoux, LLC today to speak to an experienced Chicago divorce lawyer.
