Filing for divorce is by no means easy. And even if one or both spouses agree that it is best for them to end their union, this does not mean that there aren’t any emotions or that they are not hurt by the fact that their marriage is over. In some cases, divorcing couples in Illinois and elsewhere might be faced with difficult divorce decisions, causing a heated debate. And while no one intends to or expects that their dissolution will resemble a battle filled with conflict, the fact of the matter is that this could happen.

No matter what tools or method a spouse employs to address a high conflict divorce, a toxic divorce is one that is difficult to manage. This type of dissolution occurs when one spouse is responsible for escalating the contention. Even though one spouse wants to proceed with the dissolution process in a more equitable way, the other spouse continually refuses to cooperate.

Whether they may not want to divorce or their emotions are getting in the way, a spouse can make for a very difficult divorce if they exhibit some of these common toxic behaviors. This includes behaviors such as stalking, harassment, threats, hiding marital assets, tarnishing the other spouse’s reputation, damaging property and even alienating children from the other parent. These steps do not only hurt the other spouse but they extend the divorce process.

Extending an already challenging process does not only hurt both spouses, but also the children, if they have any. Additionally, personal and professional lives can suffer as a long, drawn-out emotionally heated divorce could impact their ability to maintain a normal life and routine. Thus, it is important to understand how to navigate a toxic divorce.

Getting through a toxic divorce means knowing how to push the process forward and toward a more amicable way. A spouse could seek out a judge who is familiar with these cases, so proper decisions can be made and appropriate sanctions and punishments could be issued if need be. Purposefully drawing out the process of taking steps to complicate post-divorce life, such as failing to make support payments, could result in penalties for the spouse causing these issues.

Divorce is a serious process; thus, spouses need to show that they mean serious business. Ending a marriage is by no means pleasant or easy; however, it is sometimes something that must be done. Thus, those dealing with this or any other divorce issue should be aware of their rights in the matter so they can best resolve their problems.

Source: Psychologytoday.com, “How to Handle a Toxic Divorce,” Katherine Schreiber and heather Hausenblas, July 21, 2017