Our Blog

Also, successfully proving that your spouse committed adultery may well prevent them from receiving spousal support, as mentioned above. The Act`s approach to the finances of a divorced couple is to ensure fairness. The starting point is a 50-50 split, but in reality, an unequal split may be necessary to ensure that both spouses can continue their lives in relative financial security. The court considers a number of factors in deciding what is fair, and one of them is the conduct of each party. However, only in very rare cases does this have an impact on the Financial Regulation. Proving that voluntary sex has taken place between two parties can be extremely difficult and often impossible. Fortunately, for those who attempt to use adultery as grounds for divorce, the law does not require anyone to witness the parties involved in sexual intercourse. Instead, you can present evidence in court that the abuser and his lover had the so-called “opportunity” and “disposition” to have sex. The following information is now out of date. It has been retained for general information purposes only for those interested in how adultery was used in divorce proceedings under the old divorce laws prior to April 6, 2022.

You cannot use your own adultery as a reason for divorce, only your spouse`s adultery. However, adultery is not necessarily a complete barrier to the adulterous spouse receiving spousal support in Virginia. On the contrary, the court may still award maintenance to the adulterous spouse in certain cases, depending on (1) the relative finances of the parties and (2) the relative degree of “fault” of the parties. For example, if a husband can prove that his wife committed adultery, but the wife can show (a) that her husband earns significantly more money than she does, and (b) that her husband engaged in blatant behavior that was in fact (not her adultery) the central cause of her separation, then the court could still award alimony to the wife. Alimony. And then we come to the issue of child support, or “spousal support” as it`s called in Virginia. This is the only area where proving adultery can be extremely helpful in your divorce. Your spouse`s proof of adultery usually prevents him or her from receiving marital support from you. That said, if you were the primary breadwinner during marriage and normally owed monthly alimony after divorce, that`s probably out of the question now.

The spouse who cheated usually does not receive spousal support in Virginia. It is not uncommon for a married couple to try to continue even after 1 of them has committed adultery. In some situations, spouses are able to solve their problems, but it is also quite understandable to decide to divorce. Legally, adultery only includes sexual intercourse, which means that behaviors such as kissing, webcaming, virtual and “emotional” adultery do not count for the purposes of divorce. This makes adultery very difficult to prove if your spouse doesn`t admit it. However, the person with whom your spouse has been unfaithful does not need to be married for it to be adultery. Defense against an accusation of adultery. Virginia law offers several possible defenses for an adultery charge.

The successful establishment of one of these defenses will prevent adultery divorce from occurring: although emotional matters are not adultery for the courts, any form of fraud can lead to divorce. Even if you don`t file for divorce for adultery, there are still plenty of legal processes to follow, evidence to gather, and divorce negotiations to deal with. Call The Ward Law Firm at 770-383-1973 to set up a REAL case case where you can discuss your divorce case. Given the high standard of proof and confirmation, it can be very difficult to prove adultery in Virginia. It takes some type of evidence to overcome the requirement for “clear and persuasive evidence” and not only prove that your spouse is in a romantic relationship with another, but that the relationship culminates in sexual intercourse. Another positive aspect of filing for adultery is that there is no waiting period, unlike fault-based reasons such as cruelty or abandonment, which have a waiting period of one year. You can immediately file for divorce for adultery. Keep in mind, however, that a contentious case filed for adultery can take several months, or even a year or more, to unfold in court. So you don`t necessarily save time by testifying on the ground of adultery. If you need advice on a divorce after your spouse has committed adultery, our experienced divorce lawyers are at your disposal. There is a caveat that should be mentioned here. The court may include adultery of a party in the division of property and debts if it is proven that the adultery had certain “economic consequences.” That is, if your spouse has wasted the matrimonial property by continuing his secret attempt, for example, the court will take this into account when dividing the property.

This is to make sure you are not penalized financially for your spouse`s spontaneous weekends in Poconos that you have not included. A couple who are willing to commit adultery are shown when the couple shows a desire or “inclination” to have sex. In most cases of adultery, evidence is presented to the court in the form of testimony from an objective third party who witnessed a public expression of affection (PDA) between the couple. Proof of disposition can also be demonstrated by something as simple as a legally obtained greeting card sent from one party to another, and in the card, the sender implies either by the type or message in the greeting card, that there was romantic love, intimacy or something more than just platonic friendship between them. Seeing a couple holding hands, kissing each other`s lips or walking arm in arm are good examples of a couple demonstrating their willingness to commit adultery. It is important to note that you must have proof that the same two people have both the possibility and the disposition to commit adultery, or that the claim of adultery is likely to be invalidated if there is no additional evidence. Virginia law requires “clear and convincing” evidence to establish adultery, a higher standard of proof than other grounds for divorce. Therefore, to prove adultery, clear and convincing evidence must be presented to the court that the spouse actually had sexual intercourse with another person. Domestic infidelity is defined as the violation of trust between two domestic partners. Infidelity can be any shameful activity in which a person engages without their partner`s knowledge and permission. Examples of domestic infidelity include: someone who is fired from their job fails to tell their partner; when a spouse secretly stops on the way home from work to drink or play; or someone who has an adulterous relationship with a colleague. Any behavior that is hidden from a person`s partner and violates their trust can be considered domestic infidelity, including adultery.

The legal definition of adultery includes only sexual intercourse with members of the opposite sex. Distribution of real estate. The court can (and is) responsible for considering a party`s adultery when deciding on the division of marital property – but in most cases, adultery won`t have much impact here. Let`s start with the pros. Filing for divorce for adultery can be cathartic for you personally. In this filing, you definitively declare that your spouse has misbehaved in your marriage. Plus, you`re forcing your spouse to defend his behavior, and you can finally get answers to some of your questions. We know that adultery clouds the waters when it comes to divorce, and legal advice can help you navigate these waters better and make your divorce less painful and more beneficial for you. Call now to schedule a consultation with Bryan Hesser and find out how infidelity or other marital misconduct may have in your divorce. How adultery affects your divorce depends on your state`s laws, which is why it`s wise to hire family law attorneys to guide you through this process. For example, in states divorced through no fault of your own, such as New Jersey, it is no longer necessary to prove that your spouse committed adultery or abandonment to file for divorce.

And while some states still use adultery as a partial basis for alimony, it`s also becoming increasingly rare. However, in some states, proving adultery could affect your divorce settlement. If you and your spouse have separated but not divorced, you may be in a legal gray area when it comes to adultery. Again, contact a family law firm to understand the risks of dating during a divorce. Experience has shown that people who confess to having affairs, especially those who are accidentally discovered and then confronted by their spouse, do not really end their affairs, as is often said.