No two divorce cases are exactly alike, and the same is true of divorce cases that involve infidelity. It’s important to recognize, however, that your spouse’s infidelity could play a role in the outcome of your divorce, and knowing the impact that infidelity can have can afford you a better understanding of your own case.
Regardless of the circumstances of your divorce, however, having an experienced Round Rock divorce attorney on your side from the start is always to your advantage.
No-Fault vs. Fault-Based Divorce in Texas
While Texas is considered a no-fault state when it comes to divorce, the state – nonetheless – offers a fault-based option, and one of the most common forms of fault employed is adultery. Fault-based divorce cases are generally considered to be more challenging for all of the following reasons:
They generally take longer to resolve.
They are generally more expensive to resolve.
They go to court because the spouse seeking the fault-based divorce is called upon to prove the other’s fault, and the spouse who has been accused is unlikely to take the matter lightly.
They are generally more contentious overall and tend to be harder on the children involved.
These are just a few of the reasons that the vast majority of divorces in Texas are no fault. There are, however, instances when it’s worth all the extra effort and expense to pursue a fault-based divorce.
Not the least of this can be the emotional relief of demonstrating that one’s spouse directly caused the marriage to fail. Your seasoned divorce attorney will ensure that you understand the implications of a fault-based divorce – if you’re considering this option – and will help you make the right choices for you along the way.
Finally, it’s important to point out that the fact of your spouse’s affair can potentially affect certain terms of your divorce, even if in a no-fault case. For example, if your spouse spent an inordinate amount of money on the extramarital relationship, it could affect your property division.
And if your spouse is moving on with a new relationship post-divorce, it could also affect the amount of parenting time they’re awarded or the conditions that apply – especially if their new partner is considered in some way inappropriate when it comes to spending time with your children.
Will Infidelity Affect Your Divorce?
The answer to the question of whether or not your spouse’s infidelity will have an effect on your divorce is that it depends. And it depends on factors like the following:
If you have proof of their infidelity, which can be a tall order if they choose to deny it
Whether or not you share young children with your spouse
If your spouse used marital assets to bankroll their affair and if they spent lavishly on the extramarital relationship
How honest or dishonest your spouse has been about the affair
Whether you are seeking a fault-based or no-fault divorce
In other words, the court will take many factors related to your spouse’s infidelity into consideration when determining the divorce terms that could potentially be affected. And your dedicated divorce attorney will help you choose the path forward for you in your unique situation.
Proving Your Spouse’s Affair
The thing about cheating spouses is that they often go to great lengths to hide the fact that they’re cheating. This means that, while you may be absolutely convinced that your spouse is cheating – and while you may be absolutely right on this point – it’s not the same as proving the matter in court.
Clear and Convincing Evidence
In order to prove that your spouse is engaged in an adulterous affair in a Texas court, the burden of proof is on you, and the standard of clear and convincing evidence applies.
This means that you must offer enough relevant evidence to convince the court there is a high probability that you are right about the matter. In other words, your testimony and even photos of your spouse with the other person may not be enough.
Every divorce in which infidelity is an issue is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Common examples of the kind of evidence that often comes into play include the following:
Text and emails between your spouse and the other person
Voicemails between your spouse and the other person
Proof of the two sharing hotel rooms, which can sometimes be determined through receipts or by testimony of hotel staff
Receipts of your spouse’s spending – on lavish meals out, vacations, jewelry, and beyond – that didn’t involve you
Eyewitness testimony, which may include the testimony of your mutual friends who may have seen your spouse out and about with their new flame
Social Media
The evidence used to prove infidelity tends to come in a variety of forms that, when considered in conjunction with one another, tells a compelling story. More and more, social media is coming into play in divorces involving adultery.
Even if your spouse stays off social media altogether or is very careful not to post photos of themself with a paramour – there is no telling where implicating photos and posts can land – such as on a friend or acquaintance’s account.
Further, it only takes one person who likes to share to seriously limit the strength of even the tightest privacy parameters, and a simple screenshot can make a post last forever.
In other words, if you can locate pictures of your spouse in compromising situations with the other person online, it can help flesh out your claim of infidelity considerably. Prime examples include photos of them holding hands, kissing, or simply being overly chummy – and the more photos, the more impact the evidence is likely to have.
Never underestimate the power of digging through social media when it comes to proving your spouse’s unfaithfulness.
The Other Person
There is also the matter of the other person. If you know the person your spouse is cheating on you with, it can make the matter that much more painful, but it can also afford you leverage in your case.
If you know the person’s full name and an address where they can be served, you can subpoena them to testify in your case, which can reap very strong evidence that is very difficult to refute.
It’s important to point out here that, if you do subpoena your spouse’s new romantic partner, there is always the chance that the person will downplay the nature of their relationship. A common refrain is that – sure, we spend a lot of time together, but we’re just good friends.
Most people, however, are hesitant to perjure themselves on the stand, which means lying while under oath. Further, it’s the totality of the evidence that the court is interested in, which means the other person’s testimony can still prove beneficial.
The Amount of Money Your Spouse Spent on Their Affair
Texas courts take the amount of marital assets that are funneled into extramarital affairs very seriously. Marital assets refer to those assets that you and your spouse acquired during your marriage.
If either of you – or both of you together – earned the money or came to own the property while you were married, it’s almost certainly a marital asset that belongs to both of you.
Having an affair with another person can be very costly. If your spouse is using marital funds to conduct their own affair, they are not only cheating on you emotionally but are also chipping away at your marital estate, which can diminish your fair share when the time comes to divvy things up in divorce.
The issue becomes that much more pronounced if your spouse is engaging in a lavish lifestyle with their new partner, which isn’t especially uncommon.
When Young Children Are Involved
Many people fail to recognize how seriously Texas courts take the vulnerability of children into account when it comes to parenting time determinations. When young children, such as those who are under the age of 13, are involved, the court is likely to take your spouse’s affair more seriously.
For example, if your spouse spent time with their new love interest when your children were present, the court may take a dim view. This is especially true if you didn’t know about the situation and didn’t give your permission.
The fact is that divorce is very hard on children, and young children absolutely don’t understand the dynamics of adult romantic relationships, which can add up to a lot of confusion on their part and can amplify the pain and damage they experience.
Texas courts are invested in minimizing this harm, which is why your spouse’s affair can affect their parenting time schedule even in a no-fault divorce.
Finally, there is the matter of the other person’s suitability when it comes to spending time with your children, and factors like the following can play a serious role:
Whether the individual has a criminal record
Whether the individual has lost custody of their own children or is required to have limited or supervised visitation with them
Whether the individual has a violent background or a violent temper
Whether the individual has been accused, charged, or convicted of domestic violence, child abuse, or child neglect
Yes, your spouse has the right to move on post-divorce, but their actions prior to divorce matter, and if they demonstrate a serious lack of judgment in relation to their children’s overall well-being, the court will take notice.
Lying to the Court
As mentioned, proving a spouse’s adultery can be very challenging, but it can also be done – even if the cheating spouse refuses to cop to their actions. Many people would prefer not to admit to bad behavior and will go to great lengths to save face.
Committing adultery while married is not only frowned upon by society in general but can also tarnish one’s professional reputation and can even erode a parent’s relationship with their children. Dishonesty in one area of life has a way of creeping into other areas, and many people would prefer to lie rather than face the music.
Lying to the court in the course of one’s divorce, however, is a different matter. If your spouse doesn’t think you’ll be able to prove that they were unfaithful to you, they may be emboldened to lie to the court about your accusation.
Texas courts, however, are not so easily fooled, and if you have ample evidence to demonstrate that they were, indeed, cheating on you, the fact that they lied to the court can support significantly better financial terms for you, including in relation to property division and alimony – as applicable.
Alimony
In Texas, alimony is called spousal maintenance, and it is only ordered when each of the following applies:
The recipient is left without the means to cover their own reasonable needs in relation to the standard of living achieved during the marriage.
The payor has the financial ability to help.
Factors like the following come into play when alimony determinations are made:
The length of the marriage
The size of each spouse’s separate estate
The size of the marital estate
Each spouse’s contributions to the marriage, including in terms of homemaking and childcare
Each spouse’s income and earning potential
Finally, the matter of fault – specifically adultery – can also tip the balance when it comes to whether or not alimony will be awarded and, if so, its amount and duration.
Turn to an Experienced Round Rock Divorce Attorney for the Help You Need
Brett Pritchard at The Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard is a formidable Round Rock divorce attorney with a fine-tuned understanding of the legal intricacies related to divorce involving infidelity and is standing by to help you.
Your divorce terms are important to your future, so please don’t wait to contact or call us at 254-781-4222 to schedule your free consultation today.