Giving in to the temptation to badmouth your ex is never a good idea, and Pasadena divorce attorneys caution it can sometimes have serious financial consequences.
If your ex is a self-employed professional, part of the worth of his or her business is based on professional reputation. This is true whether your ex is an accountant, lawyer, doctor, or restaurant owner. When you say things that undermine public perception of your ex's abilities, regardless of whether your statements are true, you're driving down the value of his or her business. This could lead to less spousal support and/or child support for you.
Recently, a Manhattan judge ruled that Janice Schacter would receive only 17% of the value of her ex husband’s law firm partnership because she had repeatedly criticized him in public forums and falsely accused him of failing to pay for their daughter’s hearing aids while buying a very expensive engagement ring for his new Playboy bunny fiance. Ira Schacter successfully argued that the allegations decreased the value of his legal partnership at Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft, citing the fact that he ended up with the sarcastically named “Lawyer of the Month” award on a popular legal website after Ms. Schacter's allegations became public knowledge.
Many attorneys feel Ms. Schacter would have received close to half of the value of Mr. Schacter’s $5 million partnership without the penalty for her role in driving down the value of his professional reputation.
So, while badmouthing your ex may certainly be tempting -- and may even make you feel better in the short run -- the financial ramifications could make you seriously regret it in the long run.
How Can We Help?
If you are in need of legal representation during your divorce, please call our office at (626) 683-8113 or email us at info@PasadenaLawOffice.com. Our matrimonial law firm in Pasadena has experience dealing with a variety of divorce-related concerns, including the distribution of marital property, spousal support, child support, and child custody.