At Oxendine Law, we understand that the divorce process can be a deeply stressful and lonely time. Once you turn to focus on the new beginnings and starting fresh you may think it’s time to start dating, or at least making new connections. And while we appreciate this urge, there are things that people should be aware of about dating during a divorce and how it can potentially impact the outcome of their legal proceedings. Allow our family law experts to explain.

“Dating” is a pretty loose term that can mean different things to different people. From a legal standpoint, there is no consistent definition of the term. But from the court’s perspective during a divorce, dating can mean any social contact with another person that has a degree of romance or intimacy.

While there is no specific rule or law against dating during your divorce, most family law attorneys would strongly recommend that you just wait until the divorce is final. Even in cases where the couple is legally separated, dating a third party can introduce unnecessary (and potentially serious) complications to the divorce settlement, including:

• Increased cost and legal liability by potentially making the divorce more contentious.
• The possibility of turning your divorce into a fault-based divorce, with your new relationship as evidence of potential adultery.
• Potentially higher stress levels and additional personal complications in addition to your divorce, which can be plenty stressful as it is.
• Creating additional confusion and harm to your children, who are surely already going through a difficult transition during the divorce.

Check out the clip below to hear our founder, family law attorney Jarrod Oxendine on the Morning X with Barnes & Leslie, discussing divorce, reconciliation, and other family law topics:

https://omny.fm/shows/the-morning-x-with-barnes-leslie/divorce-reconciliation-and-beach-trips-with-jarrod/embed

Even if you may not be punished by the court for dating during your divorce, you’ll still need to decide what is best for yourself and your family, and determine if the potential risks are worth it. To hear Jarrod discuss similar topics, stay tuned to his regular appearances on The Morning X and other local radio shows by visiting our radio segments page. If you have any family law needs of your own, contact Oxendine Law at (770) 497-8688 today to schedule a family law consultation in-person, over the phone, or by video conference. You can also follow along with us on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram for additional family law tips, news, radio segments, and more.