Because of how emotional a divorce is, one or both spouses may see their divorce process as an opportunity to punish the other. When people refuse to cooperate or play games during legal proceedings, it often results in more time and money spent. You will pay more in legal fees, and sometimes, the court may order one party to pay the other’s attorney or private investigator fees. This is not done as a punishment, but it is a consequence of complicating the process.
How You Can End Up Paying More Money
If one party refuses to cooperate or drags out the legal process, the judge may order them to pay the other side’s attorney fees. This happens when the case becomes unnecessarily tricky due to dishonesty or delays. For example, if someone lies about an affair in a request to admit, and a private investigator later proves it, the court may require the dishonest party to cover the cost of the investigator. In this situation, the private investigator’s work was necessary to get the truth, and the court sees this as something that should have been avoided.
Private investigators employ various tactics to gather evidence, including placing GPS trackers on marital property, like vehicles. If someone tries to play games by lying or denying facts already known, the court can hold them accountable. This adds to the cost of the case and can result in higher fees. People may pay for these choices when they try to hide assets, lie about their behavior, or refuse to cooperate.
Divorce Is Not a Time for Retribution
When a marriage ends, emotions run high, but using the legal process for revenge will often backfire. Courts are focused on resolving disputes fairly, not on settling personal scores. Some people approach divorce with the idea that they can use it to punish their spouse. This mindset can lead to more conflict, increasing legal costs and prolonging the process.
In divorce, important financial decisions need to be made. One example is the marital asset addendum, where both parties list their assets and debts. This document is crucial for determining how property will be divided. When one party refuses to be honest or tries to hide assets, it complicates the process. Lawyers can only give the right advice based on the information they have. If someone provides false or incomplete information, it can lead to wrong results. Rather than focusing on revenge, it’s better to approach divorce to find a workable solution.
Secure Your Family Law Advocate
If you are going through a divorce or custody case, being difficult can increase costs and make the process much harder. Courts do not look kindly on dishonesty or games, and you may be ordered to pay for it. To avoid these problems, contact legal counsel so you have an advocate to guide you through each legal decision. Contact us to schedule your consultation today.
Cate & Brough, P.A.
