It’s possible to meet someone you are interested in during your divorce. But should you date them? Divorce and dating can be complicated. According to Florida laws, couples can divorce by stating the marriage is irretrievably broken (no-fault divorce). However, this may not be the case with the division of assets and assigning alimony.
Here is what you should know:
The court may consider adultery
Despite Florida being a no-fault state, if your divorce goes to court, the judge may factor in fault when dividing assets and assigning alimony. This means that adultery may be considered.
Therefore, while it might not be unlawful to date during your divorce, if your spouse informs the court adultery was one of the contributing factors to the dissolution of the marriage, dating before the process ends may disadvantage you. Thus, it may be best to wait until your divorce is final before starting a new relationship.
What if you don’t go to court?
If you and your spouse can agree on divorce matters (property division, alimony, child custody and child support), fault may not come into it.
However, dating during divorce may affect you in other ways, including:
- It can slow down your healing process
- You may need to divide your time between your kids and the new partner – this can affect your kids since they need your attention to cope with the new life
- You may transfer some of your stress to your new partner
Therefore, dating during divorce can affect your relationship with your kids, the new partner and possibly other loved ones.
Dating during your divorce, whether the process is contested or uncontested, may not be the best option. Make sure you have legal guidance behind you at each step of the divorce process.
