The way a divorce plays out depends on a variety of circumstances. One thing we can say for certain is that infidelity and cheating often turn an already difficult process into a nightmare. Worse yet, there are potential implications in your CA divorce depending on how you or the ex respond, and cheating is often one of those things that pushes people to the edge.

However, cheating can also help tip the scales in favor of a faithful spouse when it comes to specific legal processes. Today, we’re talking about how infidelity impacts divorce proceedings in CA.

Can Cheating Impact the Outcome of My California Divorce?

One thing to know is that California is a no-fault state. This means that either spouse is allowed to seek a divorce regardless of who may or may not be to blame for the failure of the marriage. This doesn’t mean that cheating doesn’t have potential consequences however.

Aspects of your divorce such as custody proceedings and spousal support can be impacted by cheating, or by the circumstances around the cheating. For example, a partner who squandered a lot of assets or resources while carrying out the cheating could see the courts considering this and making adjustments as necessary. 

Many people who are willing to cheat may not always be the best judge of character, and they may choose to bring a reckless or dangerous stranger around the kids. Or perhaps they keep a rotating door of new partners and exposes the kids to this, which the courts generally frown upon. These factors could play a role into the custody arrangements dictated by the CA family law courts. 

What Should I Tell The Kids About The Other Parent?

This is always a dicey issue, because you don’t want to say or do anything that could compromise their relationship with the other parent. You also don’t want to give the family law courts reason to think you’re unnecessarily disparaging the other parent. 

The decision to share this type of information with the kids is ultimately up to you. You must weigh the reasons behind why you want or need to tell them what you want to share. Think about whether this causes any unnecessary conflict, or is information that is important to share. Consider whether the conversation is age-appropriate as well. 

Consult with a Divorce Attorney Today 

Dealing with a cheating spouse is one of the most painful experiences that a person can go through. Add the stress of divorce on top of that, and its unrelaistic to expect you or anyone to have to navigate this alone without qualified assistance.

Protect yourself and your future, as well as that of your loved ones, by consulting with a CA family law attorney.  Call us at (949) 825-5245 to schedule a free initial consultation, where you learn more about how our experienced attorneys help clients with any type of family law matter in CA.