Is it Okay to Date Before My Divorce is Finalized?

Now that you and your spouse are beginning process of getting a divorce, it might seem like the appropriate time to get back into the dating scene. After all, you might feel lonely and crave the attention of a partner and divorce can be such an emotional experience. However, it would be wise to put your dating life on hold until your divorce is finalized for a variety of reasons, some of which can impact the outcome of your divorce settlement.

Here are some of the most important reasons why you should avoid dating until your divorce is finalized:

• You will not have enough time: Divorce is a time-consuming process, so you can be assured that a fair amount of your energy and time will be invested in making sure the best possible decisions are made for your future. This means you will have a very limited amount of time for a new partner. If you are really interested in trying to begin a new, healthy relationship, wait until you have time to commit to one. You might be anxious to dive into something new, but you might end up ruining a good thing by jumping too soon.
• Your child custody arrangement could be affected: Dating while in the midst of a divorce will undoubtedly have an impact on your child custody arrangement, especially if your new partner has an unsavory past, such as a criminal record or substance abuse issues. If your new partner is going to be spending time around your children, you can bet a judge will factor this into his or her ruling regarding custody and visitation rights.
• It will likely sour your relationship with your spouse: If you are trying to negotiate a settlement agreement with your soon-to-be former spouse, dating someone new is probably going to sour things to the point where he or she might become uncooperative and your case will likely have to go through litigation.
• It could negatively impact your relationship with your children: You can expect that your children are going to have a difficult time coping with the divorce and, if you have a new partner in your life, it will be doubly hard for them to deal with and they might even believe the divorce was your fault because you wanted to see someone new. They might even begin to distance themselves from you and sympathize more with your former spouse. Try to give them the time they need to adjust to these major changes and wait for the divorce to finalize before you start tacking on more issues for them to deal with.

Divorce Attorney in Bergen County

If you and your spouse can no longer make your marriage work, now is the time to seek the skilled legal guidance of a divorce attorney. At Sherwood, Johnson & Poles, in Bergen County, our team of divorce attorneys is backed by more than 25 years of combined legal experience and a proven track record of success in guiding clients throughout the process of divorce. We seek to build customized agreements and case strategies as well as client-focused representation.

Begin the divorce process today and reach out to our law firm at (888) 224-1218 to request your free initial case evaluation with a knowledgeable member of our legal team.