Can I Date During the Divorce Process?

Once they have made the decision to pursue divorce, many people want to move on with their lives as soon as possible. You may find yourself wanting to date someone new: to see where life takes you. In some cases, your divorce may even have begun due to your desire to date other people—or the fact that you or your former spouse had already started that process. 

Can you date while going through the divorce process? How can dating impact your divorce? Speak with an attorney about your specific circumstances and how dating could impact your divorce. 

Is there a law against dating during the divorce process?

During the divorce process, the law considers you legally separated from your spouse. Modern laws no longer consider dating while going through divorce adultery, which can have substantial impact on your divorce. Legally, you can date while going through divorce proceedings. If you have a covenant marriage, as recognized by the state of Louisiana, you may need to go through significant counseling before moving on, including dating, since a covenant marriage makes it much more difficult to pursue divorce.

That does not mean, however, that dating during divorce will come without consequence. You should consider several elements before moving forward with dating while getting a divorce. 

How can dating impact the divorce process?

While dating may not impact your ability to get a divorce or leave you facing stiff penalties, as it might have under previous incarnations of the law, you must carefully consider how dating can impact the divorce process. 

A committed relationship can change the support you receive after the divorce.

A few casual dates likely will not impact alimony received from your former spouse after your divorce. If you move in with your new partner, on the other hand, the court may assume that you no longer need as much support. Most of the time, alimony gets based off of need. The court will require alimony when one spouse does not have the income needed to support him- or herself following the divorce. Alimony usually provides time for that spouse to get on their feet and prepare to handle their own financial needs.

If you have already moved on and moved in with someone else, in the eyes of the court, you may not need as much support as you would if you planned to live independently. The presence of another provider in your life would indicate that your former spouse no longer bears liability for providing that financial assistance to you, and could minimize your financial support following the divorce. Most of the time, once alimony gets set up, it ceases if the spouse receiving it gets married again. 

Dating or a relationship could cause custody issues to arise. 

Often, the child’s other parent will feel uncomfortable about the idea of people coming in and out of their lives, especially early in a dating relationship. Many couples already assess and plan for some of those issues during the divorce process. You may want to answer questions like, “When can one parent have a partner of the other sex spend the night?” in your divorce decree. 

Dating cannot be addressed in the divorce decree directly. Neither partner has a say in who the other chooses to date, either during or after the divorce. It can, however, lead to several custody concerns. Consider:

How do the children feel about one parent dating? How do they feel about the specific person you have a relationship with? Children often show considerable initial animosity toward a new partner in one parent’s life. It may take time for them to develop a stronger comfort level and deeper relationship with that parent. In the meantime, however, that dating relationship could impact the children’s desire to spend time with one parent and could change the custody balance. Older children may have a say in who they stay with after the divorce, which means that dating relationship may impact your parenting plan long-term. 

A new partner could cause your former spouse to fight harder for custody. A former spouse who is willing to make a reasonable agreement with you alone might not feel so reasonable when the time comes to let their children go with a virtual stranger. When you clearly introduce a new partner, your former spouse may start to imagine that person parenting their children or participating in those relationships. As a result, it can prove more difficult to manage your custody arrangement. 

Dating during divorce can increase the animosity from your former spouse.

Even if you mutually decide on divorce, it does not necessarily follow that your former spouse immediately wants to have nothing to do with you or will move on quickly. Introducing a new partner can also introduce further animosity into your relationship. This animosity may lead your former spouse, consciously or otherwise, to fight harder over issues that might previously have been let go during your divorce proceedings. You may end up fighting harder over issues like who gets the house, how you will divide marital assets, or how you will handle child support or alimony following the divorce. Waiting to introduce a new partner until after the divorce gets finalized, on the other hand, can decrease the animosity throughout the process and make it easier for you to reach an equitable agreement with your former spouse.

Can you date during divorce? You can certainly choose to explore your options or start dating as soon as you would like, legally speaking. Keeping those relationships discrete or avoiding them until you finalize your divorce, however, can make it much easier to manage many of the concerns associated with your divorce, including division of property, child support, and alimony. In some cases, waiting can even increase the support you ultimately receive from your former spouse. Consult an experienced divorce attorney for a better understanding of how dating during divorce can impact divorce proceedings.

Once they have made the decision to pursue divorce, many people want to move on with their lives as soon as possible. You may find yourself wanting to date someone new: to see where life takes you. In some cases, your divorce may even have begun due to your desire to date other people—or the fact that you or your former spouse had already started that process. 

Can you date while going through the divorce process? How can dating impact your divorce? Speak with an attorney about your specific circumstances and how dating could impact your divorce. 

Is there a law against dating during the divorce process?

During the divorce process, the law considers you legally separated from your spouse. Modern laws no longer consider dating while going through divorce adultery, which can have substantial impact on your divorce. Legally, you can date while going through divorce proceedings. If you have a covenant marriage, as recognized by the state of Louisiana, you may need to go through significant counseling before moving on, including dating, since a covenant marriage makes it much more difficult to pursue divorce.

That does not mean, however, that dating during divorce will come without consequence. You should consider several elements before moving forward with dating while getting a divorce. 

How can dating impact the divorce process?

While dating may not impact your ability to get a divorce or leave you facing stiff penalties, as it might have under previous incarnations of the law, you must carefully consider how dating can impact the divorce process. 

A committed relationship can change the support you receive after the divorce.

A few casual dates likely will not impact alimony received from your former spouse after your divorce. If you move in with your new partner, on the other hand, the court may assume that you no longer need as much support. Most of the time, alimony gets based off of need. The court will require alimony when one spouse does not have the income needed to support him- or herself following the divorce. Alimony usually provides time for that spouse to get on their feet and prepare to handle their own financial needs.

If you have already moved on and moved in with someone else, in the eyes of the court, you may not need as much support as you would if you planned to live independently. The presence of another provider in your life would indicate that your former spouse no longer bears liability for providing that financial assistance to you, and could minimize your financial support following the divorce. Most of the time, once alimony gets set up, it ceases if the spouse receiving it gets married again. 

Dating or a relationship could cause custody issues to arise. 

Often, the child’s other parent will feel uncomfortable about the idea of people coming in and out of their lives, especially early in a dating relationship. Many couples already assess and plan for some of those issues during the divorce process. You may want to answer questions like, “When can one parent have a partner of the other sex spend the night?” in your divorce decree. 

Dating cannot be addressed in the divorce decree directly. Neither partner has a say in who the other chooses to date, either during or after the divorce. It can, however, lead to several custody concerns. Consider:

How do the children feel about one parent dating? How do they feel about the specific person you have a relationship with? Children often show considerable initial animosity toward a new partner in one parent’s life. It may take time for them to develop a stronger comfort level and deeper relationship with that parent. In the meantime, however, that dating relationship could impact the children’s desire to spend time with one parent and could change the custody balance. Older children may have a say in who they stay with after the divorce, which means that dating relationship may impact your parenting plan long-term. 

A new partner could cause your former spouse to fight harder for custody. A former spouse who is willing to make a reasonable agreement with you alone might not feel so reasonable when the time comes to let their children go with a virtual stranger. When you clearly introduce a new partner, your former spouse may start to imagine that person parenting their children or participating in those relationships. As a result, it can prove more difficult to manage your custody arrangement. 

Dating during divorce can increase the animosity from your former spouse.

Even if you mutually decide on divorce, it does not necessarily follow that your former spouse immediately wants to have nothing to do with you or will move on quickly. Introducing a new partner can also introduce further animosity into your relationship. This animosity may lead your former spouse, consciously or otherwise, to fight harder over issues that might previously have been let go during your divorce proceedings. You may end up fighting harder over issues like who gets the house, how you will divide marital assets, or how you will handle child support or alimony following the divorce. Waiting to introduce a new partner until after the divorce gets finalized, on the other hand, can decrease the animosity throughout the process and make it easier for you to reach an equitable agreement with your former spouse.

Can you date during divorce? You can certainly choose to explore your options or start dating as soon as you would like, legally speaking. Keeping those relationships discrete or avoiding them until you finalize your divorce, however, can make it much easier to manage many of the concerns associated with your divorce, including division of property, child support, and alimony. In some cases, waiting can even increase the support you ultimately receive from your former spouse. Consult an experienced divorce attorney for a better understanding of how dating during divorce can impact divorce proceedings.

Once they have made the decision to pursue divorce, many people want to move on with their lives as soon as possible. You may find yourself wanting to date someone new: to see where life takes you. In some cases, your divorce may even have begun due to your desire to date other people—or the fact that you or your former spouse had already started that process. 

Can you date while going through the divorce process? How can dating impact your divorce? Speak with an attorney about your specific circumstances and how dating could impact your divorce. 

Is there a law against dating during the divorce process?

During the divorce process, the law considers you legally separated from your spouse. Modern laws no longer consider dating while going through divorce adultery, which can have substantial impact on your divorce. Legally, you can date while going through divorce proceedings. If you have a covenant marriage, as recognized by the state of Louisiana, you may need to go through significant counseling before moving on, including dating, since a covenant marriage makes it much more difficult to pursue divorce.

That does not mean, however, that dating during divorce will come without consequence. You should consider several elements before moving forward with dating while getting a divorce. 

How can dating impact the divorce process?

While dating may not impact your ability to get a divorce or leave you facing stiff penalties, as it might have under previous incarnations of the law, you must carefully consider how dating can impact the divorce process. 

A committed relationship can change the support you receive after the divorce.

A few casual dates likely will not impact alimony received from your former spouse after your divorce. If you move in with your new partner, on the other hand, the court may assume that you no longer need as much support. Most of the time, alimony gets based off of need. The court will require alimony when one spouse does not have the income needed to support him- or herself following the divorce. Alimony usually provides time for that spouse to get on their feet and prepare to handle their own financial needs.

If you have already moved on and moved in with someone else, in the eyes of the court, you may not need as much support as you would if you planned to live independently. The presence of another provider in your life would indicate that your former spouse no longer bears liability for providing that financial assistance to you, and could minimize your financial support following the divorce. Most of the time, once alimony gets set up, it ceases if the spouse receiving it gets married again. 

Dating or a relationship could cause custody issues to arise. 

Often, the child’s other parent will feel uncomfortable about the idea of people coming in and out of their lives, especially early in a dating relationship. Many couples already assess and plan for some of those issues during the divorce process. You may want to answer questions like, “When can one parent have a partner of the other sex spend the night?” in your divorce decree. 

Dating cannot be addressed in the divorce decree directly. Neither partner has a say in who the other chooses to date, either during or after the divorce. It can, however, lead to several custody concerns. Consider:

How do the children feel about one parent dating? How do they feel about the specific person you have a relationship with? Children often show considerable initial animosity toward a new partner in one parent’s life. It may take time for them to develop a stronger comfort level and deeper relationship with that parent. In the meantime, however, that dating relationship could impact the children’s desire to spend time with one parent and could change the custody balance. Older children may have a say in who they stay with after the divorce, which means that dating relationship may impact your parenting plan long-term. 

A new partner could cause your former spouse to fight harder for custody. A former spouse who is willing to make a reasonable agreement with you alone might not feel so reasonable when the time comes to let their children go with a virtual stranger. When you clearly introduce a new partner, your former spouse may start to imagine that person parenting their children or participating in those relationships. As a result, it can prove more difficult to manage your custody arrangement. 

Dating during divorce can increase the animosity from your former spouse.

Even if you mutually decide on divorce, it does not necessarily follow that your former spouse immediately wants to have nothing to do with you or will move on quickly. Introducing a new partner can also introduce further animosity into your relationship. This animosity may lead your former spouse, consciously or otherwise, to fight harder over issues that might previously have been let go during your divorce proceedings. You may end up fighting harder over issues like who gets the house, how you will divide marital assets, or how you will handle child support or alimony following the divorce. Waiting to introduce a new partner until after the divorce gets finalized, on the other hand, can decrease the animosity throughout the process and make it easier for you to reach an equitable agreement with your former spouse.

Can you date during divorce? You can certainly choose to explore your options or start dating as soon as you would like, legally speaking. Keeping those relationships discrete or avoiding them until you finalize your divorce, however, can make it much easier to manage many of the concerns associated with your divorce, including division of property, child support, and alimony. In some cases, waiting can even increase the support you ultimately receive from your former spouse. Consult an experienced divorce attorney for a better understanding of how dating during divorce can impact divorce proceedings.

Are you planning a divorce? Do you have questions about your rights and responsibilities, including dating during divorce or how it could impact your divorce? Contact Betsy A. Fischer, LLC today at 504-780-8232.