Complaining about Your Ex Publicly Could Affect Your Divorce Settlement

 Posted on April 19, 2014 in Divorce

When you are filing for a divorce, it can be tempting to frequently explain your reasoning. However, it pays to be careful when discussing your marital troubles publicly. In a recent court decision, a woman was stripped of a large portion of her divorce settlement as a result of her negative comments regarding her ex-husband.

Janice Schacter certainly never expected that complaining about her soon-to-be ex-husband's abuse and financial expenditures on social media would result in a judge stripping her of a large portion of her divorce settlement. Schacter had been complaining that her now ex-husband was both abusive and had spent more than $200,000 on an engagement ring for his new fiancee while refusing to pay for hearing aids for his daughter. As a result of her outspoken comments, Ira Schacter was named as a contestant for the website abovethelaw.com's sarcastic "Lawyer of the Month" award, significantly damaging his business. Ira Schacter's lawyers argued in court that the daughter had in fact received the hearing aids, though there was some contention over which party would pay the bulk of the expense. According to Justice Laura Drager, the misleading reports had a significant impact on the value of Ira Schacter's partnership in the legal firm where he worked. As a result, she determined that Janice Schacter would only be awarded 17 percent of the $5 million partnership value, or around $855,000. According to Drager, though Janice Schacter was within her rights to speak publicly about the domestic violence she may have experienced, "the incessant postings and discussions about the husband went beyond any reasonable discussion of this very serious issue." Filing for divorce can be a very distressing experience, and it can be tempting to speak openly about the issues that have lead to your decision to file. Having an experienced lawyer on your side can help prevent any situation that may diminish any alimony or other property that you may be entitled to in your divorce settlement. If you are filing for divorce in Illinois, contact A. Traub & Associates, Attorneys at Law today for a consultation.