Marital infidelity can considerably complicate the equitable distribution of belongings and spousal help determinations through the dissolution of marriage. The actions of 1 or each spouses through the marriage, particularly these involving extramarital relationships, might introduce elements that affect the authorized and monetary outcomes of the separation. For instance, funds spent furthering an extramarital relationship may be thought-about a dissipation of marital belongings.
The relevance of marital misconduct in figuring out the monetary outcomes of divorce proceedings varies based mostly on jurisdiction. Traditionally, fault-based divorce legal guidelines usually penalized infidelity, leading to much less favorable settlements for the adulterous partner. Trendy no-fault divorce legal guidelines, prevalent in lots of jurisdictions, goal to cut back the adversarial nature of divorce, however even in these instances, proof of serious monetary misconduct associated to the affair should impression the distribution of marital property and alimony awards.