Why You Shouldn’t Date During a Divorce

By: Amanda Vann, Esq.

301-563-6685

[email protected]

Divorce is a difficult time, and often people feel lonely and want to find a significant other to help them cope. But dating while going through a divorce is not the best idea, and it could even adversely affect your divorce case.

Keep reading to learn more about why dating during a divorce isn’t a smart idea, or contact an attorney at Andalman & Flynn today.

Online Dating Websites

In today’s day and age, it is common for people to look for love through one of the many dating websites that are offered. However, putting your information onto a public dating website can greatly impact your ongoing divorce case and even cause post-divorce issues. Putting information that is untrue on your dating profile, such as bluffing on your income, your assets, how many children you have, or even your marital status can create issues. What if your spouse or ex-spouse finds your dating profile?

All of that information from your dating profile can be used against you in a court of law. By saying you have a higher income on a dating profile, the other party could use this as evidence and seek higher financial support. Lying about the number of children you have could be grounds for custody modification.

If you plan to use an online dating website, do so after your divorce is finalized or you are legally separated. When you do create a dating profile, consider leaving out certain information (such as your income) or set your profile to “private” instead of making your personal information public. Remember, even if you go back in to modify, edit, or delete online information, a digital footprint has already been created and that information can always be retrieved. There are online applications that are able to go back to the history of a webpage and retrieve historical information.

Adultery Claims

Even if you don’t use online dating websites, dating during a divorce can lead to additional headaches because your spouse most likely will begin to question how long the dating has been going on, thus leading to the possibility of an adultery claim. In Maryland, adultery is still a criminal misdemeanor offense, punishable by a not so hefty fine of $10, leading one to believe that the criminal aspect isn’t the real focus of the law. However, adultery can impact a divorce and custody case. More importantly, claims of adultery could push your spouse to be less cooperative in settlement negotiations, causing both parties to incur more in litigation fees and causing the process to take much longer than it would otherwise.

Custody Issues

Lastly, dating during a divorce can have quite an impact on custody. The introduction of children to any new partner should be done with caution. Many custody arrangements can be impacted by one spouse dating and can lead to a plethora of custody modifications. I would strongly encourage anyone who is going through a divorce or separation where child custody is an issue to seek legal advice about how to handle dating so it won’t negatively impact your case. My advice is always to finalize your divorce and focus on your children before you enter into another meaningful relationship.

Contact the Divorce Lawyers at Andalman & Flynn in Maryland

We know that going through a divorce can be overwhelming, but every ending is a new beginning. If you need help with any aspect of the separation or divorce process, the divorce and family law attorneys at Andalman & Flynn are here to help. If you need assistance resolving your divorce in court or through alternative means of resolution, you can contact attorney Amanda Vann at 301-563-6685 or [email protected].

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