A good divorce is one in which everybody plays fair and both parties walk away with what they are due. Unfortunately, not everybody seems to feel that way. Some divorcing spouses are so determined to score a “win” over their ex that they’ll go to great lengths to do it — including lie in court.
So, what do you do if you’re sure that your spouse is lying about income, resources or some other issue that’s important to the court?
1. Stay calm.
Losing your temper in front of the judge, mediator or another representative of the court won’t help you and could definitely hurt your case. Even if your spouse is making blatantly false statements, hold your peace until it’s your turn to testify. Discuss the issue with your divorce attorney and let your attorney handle the counterattack on your spouse’s testimony.
2. Stay off the internet.
It may be tempting to go on Facebook or another social media site and vent all your frustration and anger at your spouse’s lies — but don’t do it. If you can’t trust yourself to stay away from the topic of your divorce online, stay off the internet altogether.
3. Concentrate on documentation.
The good news is that no matter what your spouse says, you can probably refute the testimony through good documentation, so that’s where you need to focus your efforts. If the lies are about financial matters, dig out the bank and business statements and tax returns. If the lies are related to custody issues, submit doctors’ reports, school records and other documentation that positively reflects your parenting.
Family court judges are aware that people sometimes lie during a divorce. Your patience may be rewarded when you demonstrate exactly how far away from the truth your spouse is willing to stray in order to get what they want.
