Is Dating During a Divorce a Good Idea?

You and your spouse have made the decision to call it quits on your relationship, go your separate ways, and get a divorce. For some people, they take that decision as a sign that they’re free to do as they please and start living how they would like again, and that includes jumping back into the dating game. But can this decision have an impact on your divorce case? Likewise, how will it affect you emotionally? Here are some things you may not realize if you choose to date before divorce becomes final.

Emotional Investment

Divorces are emotionally tumultuous for everyone involved. If you have kids, this is especially true, and it’s easy to forget that. Choosing to get a divorce and then immediately bringing a new person into your children’s lives can be extremely detrimental to them. You have to remember that kids are often lost, confused, and don’t know who or what to trust during a divorce, so too much change all at once can lead to tremendously negative consequences.

It may even lead to similar results for you, and you may not even know it. Divorces occupy so much time and emotional investment that you can’t give someone new the attention and respect they deserve. It’s simply not possible. This leads to nothing more than frustration and anger if that relationship were to also fall apart, which unfortunately, they often do.

Legal Consequences

The law and courts consider you to be legally married until the terms of your divorce are finalized and you’ve signed all of the appropriate papers, dissolving your marriage for good. While Nevada is purely a no-fault state when it comes to divorces (meaning your conduct during the marriage cannot be blamed for the marriage falling apart), judges don’t tend to look highly upon spouses who don’t even wait for the case to be completed before jumping into a new relationship. This could impact the terms of child custody, child support, and more.

Likewise, your new partner will be subject to scrutiny. Do they help foster a positive, nurturing environment for your children? If they have a shady background, odds are you’ll probably suffer when it comes to determining child custody. Furthermore, if you choose to live with this person, don’t be surprised if your child request order is dramatically reduced or even outright rejected.