When a couple is going through a divorce, usually someone ends up moving out of the marital home right away. However, the divorce laws in Pasadena say that you do not have to leave your marital home simply because your spouse asks you to. Unless there is a court order keeping you out of the home due to concerns about domestic violence, you are within your legal rights to stay put until the divorce is finalized.
Living with your spouse while you're in the middle of a divorce is not easy, but it can be done if you remember some basic tips.
- The first thing you need to do is come up with alternate sleeping arrangements. If you don't already have a guest room, now is the time to do some rearranging so you each have your own private space.
- When living with your soon-to-be-ex spouse, think about how you handled living with your cranky college roommate. Do your own laundry, make your own meals, and keep your finances as separate as possible.
- Under no circumstances should you destroy any of your spouse's belongings. Even if you're furious about your current living arrangements, you need to be respectful of his or her personal property. In addition to being completely unethical, destroying things that belong to your spouse might also create legal trouble for you down the road.
- If you have children together, try to set up a schedule where only one of you is the "in charge" parent at any given time. This minimizes the opportunity for conflict while helping your kids get used to what will eventually be the new family dynamic.
- If you've started dating again, bringing home a new partner is just asking for trouble. Set an agreement up front that you'll both keep your dates out of the home, especially if you have children together.
How Can We Help?
Please call our office at (626) 683-8113 or email us at info@PasadenaLawOffice.com if you are in need of legal representation for your divorce. Our experienced Pasadena divorce lawyers are eager to help you reach a settlement as quickly as possible so that you can begin to move forward with the next chapter of your life.