Wedded Strangers
Opposites attract, but sometimes the positive charge wears off and you repel each other. Some of the most bitter and difficult divorce cases involve spouses who are poles apart in terms of nationality, religious outlook, health and dietary habits, or position on the introvert/extrovert scale.
You may have been attracted to an exotic look, a foreign accent, or a carefree attitude toward life. Once you have fallen out of that spell, the very things that brought you together may drive you further apart than you could ever have imagined.
Most Americans don’t have to worry about their spouse’s relatives exerting violence upon them when they seek a divorce, but for people married to men or women from countries with less enlightened attitudes about divorce, the sense of fear may be palpable, and sometimes these fears are well justified.
American parents typically have a mutual interest in their children and often seek custody arrangements that allow both parents to take an ongoing role in their children’s upbringing. Customs in other countries may vary. There is always a risk that your spouse may attempt to “kidnap” your children back to his or her country of origin, perhaps without leaving a forwarding address. If most of your marital property consists of overseas holdings or offshore bank accounts, it may be tough for you to recover any of that money if the deeds or accounts are in your spouse’s name. On top of all that, as we see from the constant recent attempts to change the way immigration laws are enforced, there may be reason, if you are the immigrant spouse of an American citizen, to worry that your spouse will attempt to get your visa revoked before a divorce action makes it to court.
There are many other examples of couples who fall under the category of “wedded strangers.” Differences of temperament or religion can be every bit as troublesome as differences in nationality or immigration status. After marrying a carefree Bohemian who squanders marital assets on frivolous purchases or a con-artist who diverts your hard earned savings, you may find yourself confronted with heavy debts or liens that seem to have come from nowhere.
For these and many other reasons you’ll need to pay special attention to the bottom line during a divorce negotiation. A good lawyer, aided by a qualified team of researchers, including immigration and financial experts as needed and when required, can help you get the best possible results out of what could otherwise be a very difficult if not completely hopeless situation.
Hirsch Legal LLC in Shelton enjoys a well-deserved reputation as one of Connecticut’s foremost divorce and family law practices. We serve clients in many of Connecticut’s biggest markets, including New Haven, Bridgeport, Westport, Stamford and Danbury. Our principal attorney, Carmina Hirsch, has been recognized by her peers as a top attorney for Connecticut divorce law. When you need a lawyer for a divorce or child custody matter in New Haven or Fairfield County, contact us to schedule your free consultation.