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