Adultery in Muskogee, Oklahoma can be extremely difficult for married couples to overcome. Statistics show that nearly half of all marriages will be affected by adultery at some point, and about a third of all marriages end because of adultery. This article explores how adultery can affect your divorce settlement in Muskogee.
What is Adultery in Muskogee, Oklahoma?
Simply put, you have committed adultery if you have engaged in consensual sex with someone other than your spouse. Adultery is sufficient grounds for divorce in Oklahoma, and it may become a determining factor in spousal support and, in certain cases, child custody.
How Adultery Affects the Distribution of Marital Assets
Adultery seldom has any effect on the distribution of marital assets. Oklahoma is an equitable distribution state, which means that marital assets will be divided equitably according to each spouse’s contribution to the total amount of marital assets. Thus, adultery will not affect the distribution of marital assets, unless the offending spouse has used marital assets to carry on the extramarital activities.
How Adultery Affects Child Support, Child Custody, and Spousal Support
Adultery normally has no effect on child support, and it is also unlikely that adultery will have any effect on child custody, except in cases where extramarital activities took place in the presence of the children or if the nature of those activities in some way jeopardized the children’s well being.
On the other hand, adultery can significantly decrease the amount of alimony awarded to a spouse or even entirely eliminate a spouse’s obligation to pay alimony. In addition, after the divorce has been finalized, alimony payments could be terminated if a spouse then begins to live with the person with whom he or she had been having an affair.
How Adultery Affects Settlement Negotiations
By far, the most significant affect adultery can have is on negotiating a divorce settlement. Feelings of jealousy, rage, and vindictiveness can seriously impede a couple’s ability to agree to a fair settlement. Adultery can make it extremely difficult for individuals to keep their emotions in check and make good decisions.
Therefore, if adultery is an issue in your divorce, you will benefit from experienced legal counsel. An experienced divorce attorney will help to insure that you make the choices that are best for you and your family despite the heightened emotional atmosphere adultery brings to the negotiation table.
Confidential Conversation: Muskogee Divorce Attorney
If you’re considering divorce in Muskogee, you may need the advice of someone who can help you weigh all of your options and come to a decision that is best for you and your family. Call an experienced Muskogee divorce attorney today at 918-913-0725 or toll free at 1-888-447-7262 [Wirth Law].
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