There are few situations in life that illustrate the power of courage more plainly than when an individual chooses to leave an abusive romantic partner. Choosing to divorce an abusive spouse is an unquestionably challenging situation. But with proper support, it is possible to not only navigate the divorce process successfully but also to lay a foundation for a far healthier, happier future in the process.
If you are accessing this post on a computer or device that your spouse has access to, please consider closing it, deleting your history and coming back to it as soon as you can access a safer connection. If you do not have access to a protected computer at a workplace or a loved one’s residence, please consider looking this piece back up on a computer located at a public library. Your safety is of paramount importance. And as a result, one of the best ways to ensure that your divorce process is successful is to protect yourself from retaliation along the way to the best of your ability. An experienced family law attorney will be able to help you navigate this process safely, but you need to make sure that your divorce-related research and attorney-client contacts are initially as secure as they can be.
Issues of Criminality
For a legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer, call 434-817-3100
You may understandably have concerns about whether divorcing your spouse will result in criminal action against him or her. You may hope that it will and you may hope that it won’t. Criminal charges are brought when specific criteria have been met from the perspective of law enforcement. If you have questions about what these criteria are, the details of your situation and what kinds of criminal action are/are not likely to occur in the future, please ask our firm or another firm. Every situation is unique, so it is nearly impossible to insist that any hard and fast rules may or may not apply to your situation uniquely.
A Safe Divorce Process
Separate from any criminal charges that may be brought in connection with your situation, you may benefit from an order of protection against your spouse. This kind of order is generally civil in nature, meaning that it is issued and enforced by a family law judge, not a criminal law judge. Depending on your situation, an order may be able to legally compel your spouse to refrain from coming near you, contacting you and may even be able to protect your children from your spouse in these ways. Each order of protection is issued uniquely based on the circumstances of the family involved.
Legal Assistance Is Available
If you have questions about safely and successfully divorcing your abusive spouse, please use a secure connection to reach out to an experienced family attorney. Speaking with a lawyer is generally a confidential process and will not obligate you to take any action. All a consultation will do is allow you to make informed decisions about your situation. Recruiting support and experienced legal counsel as you seek to safely leave your spouse is critically important to ensuring success.
Call 434-817-3100 or complete a Case Evaluation form
