Divorce is often like a battle, with spouses frequently looking for ways to gain advantages over their former partners. If you’re going into the divorce process in Minnesota, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with certain common sneaky tactics spouses use that could potentially weaken your case.

Divorce Can Bring Out the Worst in People

The divorce process can be stressful and frustrating and often provokes spouses to do things they may not do otherwise. Therefore, it’s unsurprising when individuals say and do wrongful things along the way.

Your spouse may act out of anger, sadness, or malice while your divorce is ongoing. This might cause them to employ specific strategies to benefit their case and sabotage yours. Fortunately, experienced divorce attorneys have seen and heard it all. Your divorce lawyer can ensure your spouse’s actions don’t harm your case and future.

Sneaky Tactics Common in Divorce Cases

Some of the most common sneaky tactics used by spouses in Minnesota divorce cases include:

1. Hiding and Transferring Assets

Divorce is costly. It’s not uncommon for spouses to try to hide funds and assets prior to the start of your divorce proceedings. This could include putting money in foreign accounts or hiding valuable items where you’re unlikely to find them.

Additionally, some spouses resort to transferring assets out of their names, thinking that if they do, you won’t find out or have access. A common example includes putting a vehicle or property in a family member or friend’s name. 

During divorce proceedings, spouses are required to disclose their finances. Some spouses try to get rid of money and assets before this with the idea that if it’s not in their name or accessible, you won’t know about it.

In reality, your divorce lawyer can hire outside help to try to uncover whether your spouse has employed any schemes to hide assets. Not only is this wrongful, but it could also mean trouble for your lying spouse.

2. Intentionally Delaying Divorce Proceedings

Some spouses may purposely try to delay divorce proceedings. Spouses have different motivations for doing this. Some do it out of spite to prolong the process, and some believe that the more they stall, the more frustrated you’ll get, and the more likely you will be to accept whatever you can get and settle.

Similarly, delaying divorce proceedings can become particularly costly. Your spouse may try to stall to rack up attorney fees as punishment for you. 

Delaying a divorce case can be done in several ways, including asking for continuances from the court, changing attorneys, and failing to produce requested documents promptly.

3. Making False Allegations

As a way to get back at you, your spouse may try to make false allegations against you. This could include allegations of:

• Domestic violence
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Criminal behavior
• Child abuse

This sneaky tactic is often employed not just to harm you, but to impact your custody situation if you have children as well. While a thorough investigation and evidence can help disprove their claims, these allegations can still throw a wrench in your case and make your divorce that much more difficult to navigate.

4. Manipulating Children

If your divorce case involves children, one spouse may use the kids as pawns in their scheme. Manipulating the children can take many forms but often includes speaking falsities about you to the kids and doing everything possible to try to turn the kids against you. 

This manipulation can hurt your custody case and cause you additional emotional pain. It can be challenging to undo your spouse’s influence on the children and repair your relationship with them.

5. Requesting More Time With the Children to Lower Child Support

Often, the parent who spends less time with the children is responsible for paying the other parent’s child support. Child support payments help cover expenses for the children, including those concerning everyday expenses, educational expenses, and medical needs. 

The amount of child support a parent must pay is often tied to the amount of time that parent has the kids. Therefore, your spouse may request more time with the children in an attempt to lower child support payments.

Getting Help From a Qualified Divorce Lawyer

All of these and other common sneaky tactics are no match for a knowledgeable divorce attorney. With a skilled lawyer on your side, you don’t have to worry about your spouse getting away with unjust actions or taking advantage of you.

The dedicated team at Johnson/Turner Legal can help you navigate the complexities of divorce and protect your future. With fixed prices and a team approach, we proudly empower clients throughout the Twin Cities Metro, Duluth, and Rochester areas. Contact our firm today to book a Quick Guidance Call.