A lot of divorces are filled with tension. This conflict drives many individuals to seek quick resolution to their divorce. And this can them in a precarious position where they may have to jeopardize a fair and favorable outcome in exchange for expediency.
You certainly don’t want that to happen in your marriage dissolution, but we know that facing the process head-on can be tough, especially when you can’t get a straight answer from your spouse on key issues and when your spouse continues to lie about relevant information.
But if you want to properly advocate for yourself, then you have to know how to get a handle on the situation. How do you do you do that? Let’s look at some tips that may prove beneficial.
What you can do to protect your interests when dealing with a lying spouse
A lying spouse can manipulate you and the court to get what they want. The burden then falls on you to disprove what your spouse says. That might seem tough to do, but here are some ways that you can set the record straight and make your divorce from a lying spouse a little easier:
- Gather documentary evidence: Your spouse can say what they want, but if there’s documentation pertaining to the issue at hand, then it’s going to speak volumes. This evidence can contradict your spouse’s assertions, ensuring that you level the playing field during negotiations and keep the court apprised of accurate information. So, gather financial records, asset inventories, business records, schooling and medical records pertaining to your child, and anything else that you think might be of use here.
- Present witness testimony: Your testimony in contradiction of your spouse’s claims can be helpful, but the court might find it more beneficial to hear from more neutral and unbiased witnesses. So, if there are individuals who can speak to the key divorce legal issues that you’re confronting, then make sure they’re prepared to testify in court.
- Get everything in writing: If your spouse lies all the time, then they’re probably not even going to fess up to what they’ve previously said. This can make it tricky to pin them down on their lies. To give yourself an advantage, reduce all communications to writing. If your spouse is unwilling to do that, then take notes during your conversations with them so that you can clearly and accurately recall them later.
- Stay cool and collected: There are a variety of reasons why your spouse might lie to you. One of them is to try to make you angry so that you say something that they can later use against you. Don’t let your spouse get the best of you. When they state a lie that angers you, take a moment to reflect and center yourself before responding, if you need to respond at all.
- Think about the root cause: If you can identify why your spouse is lying, then you might find it easier to cope with and manage their behavior. In some instances, spouses lie as a defense mechanism or to try to cope with their own emotional suffering. So, it doesn’t hurt to try to understand your spouse’s motivations. After all, it might give you another angle with which to approach your divorce and secure a favorable outcome.
Take control of your divorce and your future
By letting your spouse run the show, you could lose out big time in your divorce. Although it can be stressful, you need to find ways to seize control of your divorce and its resulting outcome.