Divorce is one of the most emotionally roiling experiences anyone can encounter in life.  As a Florida divorce lawyer, I’ve witnessed my share of mistakes individuals make during the divorce process.  Often, they are made emotionally and are entirely avoidable.  Such mistakes may provide a temporary “feel good” moment but will prove costly when it comes time to explain the decision to a judge.

Let’s take a look at a few of the most common and costly divorce mistakes.

1)Withholding funds to maintain household/children.  Surprisingly, this is one of the more common mistakes.  During the separation period and the divorce process it is absolutely imperative that you maintain financial support for your household and children, especially if you are the primary breadwinner.  Failure to do so will be hard to justify when it comes time to appear before a judge who will have to make decisions regarding custody and the division of assets.

2)Fighting Over the Wrong Things.  This is another common mistake and clearly stems from an emotional reaction to the stress of a divorce.  For example, fighting over the tv or a boat shouldn’t take precedence over making decisions about your home or the custody of your children.  However, in many cases this is what happens.  Spouses argue over matters that aren’t worth the emotional energy.

3)Arguing and Fighting with Your Spouse.  This should be obvious but alas, it’s not.  If the divorce is acrimonious and the relationship has reached the point where any communication results in a heated argument or worse, you nee to take steps to avoid any interaction with your spouse.  Tragically, such situations can escalate into physical violence where criminal charges are brought.  If you can’t communicate civilly, you have to find an intermediary fashion to communicate.

These are all avoidable emotional mistakes that will negatively affect the outcome of a divorce.  They also make it harder for your divorce attorney to obtain an agreeable outcome.  If you’ve already hired an attorney, seek counsel before making any decisions relevant to your divorce.