Divorce is so contentious in many cases. Often, there are feelings of betrayal and mistrust on both sides. When one spouse feels particularly desperate to stop the divorce or to hurt the other, they may resort to making threats.
Unfortunately, you might not know whether to worry about threats or to ignore them. Out of an abundance of safety, we recommend taking threats seriously, especially if they involve your children or possible violence.
Disgruntled spouses often threaten to jeopardize the others’ position in certain stages of a divorce. However, many of them cannot be achieved, at least not legally. Here are three examples.
You will never see the children again
Family courts will not keep either parent away from their children unless they have proof that contact would cause substantial danger. Still, such threats could indicate that your spouse will continue trying to sabotage your child custody rights.
You won’t get away with any property
In both Minnesota and North Dakota, family courts seek an equitable distribution of marital assets. The only way your spouse could keep you from getting a share is to hide property, which is unlawful. However, it is probably worth checking to see if your spouse has already hidden away assets if they threaten to do so.
I refuse to pay child support
Unfortunately, it is often the children of divorce who suffer. A spouse that insists they won’t make good on their child support obligations cannot do so legally. Child support enforcement authorities may garnish their wages or seize their assets if your co-parent refuses to cooperate.
When angry or upset, a spouse can wreak havoc on the entire process of divorce. If you fear poor conduct on the part of your spouse, speak with a professional about protecting the rights of you and your children.
