Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help!
Ask    ||    Answer
 
Advanced  
 

Ask QuestionsprogressAnswer QuestionsprogressBuild ReputationprogressBecome an Expert
 
Free Answers in 3 Easy Steps

Register Now
3 Steps

At Ask Me Help Desk you can ask questions in any topic and have them answered for free by our experts. To ask questions or participate in answering them you must register for a free account. By registering you will be able to:
  • Get free answers from experts in any of our 300+ topics.
  • Accept money for answers that you provide.
  • Communicate privately with other members (PM).
  • See fewer ads.

Home > Law > Family Law   »   Dating While Going Through A Divorce . Without Separation?

 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Question
 
 
#1  
Old Apr 25, 2007, 01:01 PM
Delilah P
Junior Member
Delilah P is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 82
Delilah P See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Dating While Going Through A Divorce . Without Separation?

Can someone legally begin seriously dating someone while going through a divorce? He is not divorced yet and had not gone through a separation...just straight into a divorce proceeding. He and his new girlfriend are already planning on getting married after the divorce is final.

Reply With Quote
 
     

Answers
 
 
Old Apr 25, 2007, 01:27 PM   #2  
Über Member
startover22 is offline
 
startover22's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: In reality!
Posts: 7,446
startover22 See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.startover22 See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.startover22 See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.startover22 See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Call startover22 via Skype™ Send a message via Yahoo to startover22
This sounds like a lose, lose situation. Sheesh anyone would see that. In most states, I think it is called cheating when he is not divorced.
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 25, 2007, 03:01 PM   #3  
Expert
excon is offline
 
excon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: On the outside
Posts: 13,278
excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.excon See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delilah P
Can someone legally begin seriously dating someone while going through a divorce?
Hello Delilah:

No, it's not illegal, any more than breaking any contract is illegal.

excon
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 25, 2007, 04:05 PM   #4  
Christianity Expert
Fr_Chuck is offline
 
Fr_Chuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Georgia
Posts: 36,900
Fr_Chuck has disabled reputation
Sorry no it is not illegal, any laws that made it illegal was considered unconstitutional long ago. It is against God's law, but he gets his fine and punishment in his own way. Since they are still married, it is just the same as cheating as it would be for any married couple.
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 25, 2007, 04:11 PM   #5  
Ultra Member
shygrneyzs is offline
 
shygrneyzs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 5,034
shygrneyzs See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.shygrneyzs See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.shygrneyzs See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.shygrneyzs See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.shygrneyzs See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.shygrneyzs See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.shygrneyzs See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.shygrneyzs See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
This piece of information from Wikpedia:

Legal penalties for adultery
Historically, adultery has been subject to severe sanctions, including the death penalty, and has been grounds for divorce under fault-based divorce laws. In some places, the method of punishment for adultery is stoning to death.[1]

In the original Napoleonic Code, a man could ask to be divorced from his wife if she committed adultery, but the philandery of the husband was not a sufficient motive for divorce unless he had kept his concubine in the family home.

In some jurisdictions, including Korea and Taiwan, adultery is illegal. In the United States, laws vary from state to state. For example, in Pennsylvania, adultery is technically punishable by 2 years of imprisonment or 18 months of treatment for insanity (for history, see Hamowy) (criminal statute repealed 1972), while in Michigan the Court of Appeals, the state's second-highest court, ruled that a little-known provision of state criminal law means that adultery carries a potential life sentence.[2] In Maryland, adultery is punishable by a fine of ten dollars. That being said, such statutes are typically considered blue laws and are rarely, if ever, enforced. In the U.S. Military, adultery is a court-martialable offense only if it was "to the prejudice of good order and discipline" or "of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces" [3]. This law has been applied to cases where both partners were members of the military, particularly where one was in command of the other, or one partner and the other's spouse. The enforceability of criminal sanctions for adultery is questionable in light of Supreme Court decisions since 1965 relating to privacy and sexual intimacy, and particularly in light of Lawrence v. Texas, which protected the right of privacy for consenting adults.

In Canadian law, adultery is defined under the Divorce Act. Though the written definition sets it as extramarital relations with someone of the opposite sex, the recent change in the definition of marriage gave grounds for a British Columbia judge to strike that definition down. In a 2005 case of a woman filing for divorce, her husband had cheated on her with another man, which the judge felt was equal reasoning to dissolve the union.

You can read the whole article on adultery on: Adultery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

also see: State Adultery Laws
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 25, 2007, 07:08 PM   #6  
Junior Member
Delilah P is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 82
Delilah P See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts on my question. <heavy sigh>It just seems to me that the parties getting a divorce should WAIT until the proceedings are finalized before seeing other people. So, I guess it's not illegal in the eyes of the law, but certainly in the eyes of God. But, I thought for sure the courts would frown upon it, especially when it comes to the details dealing with property, assets, etc... where one spouse is already seeing someone while thedivorce proceedings are still going on. Oh well.
Thanks all!
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 25, 2007, 07:33 PM   #7  
Ultra Member
ordinaryguy is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Down on the farm
Posts: 1,802
ordinaryguy See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.ordinaryguy See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.ordinaryguy See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.ordinaryguy See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.ordinaryguy See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.ordinaryguy See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delilah P
I thought for sure the courts would frown upon it, especially when it comes to the details dealing with property, assets, etc... where one spouse is already seeing someone while thedivorce proceedings are still going on.
Some judges probably do frown on it. Only one of many reasons why a prudent person would wait awhile before getting involved with someone else.
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 27, 2007, 02:56 PM   #8  
Full Member
1badchoice is offline
 
1badchoice's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Ohio
Posts: 228
1badchoice See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Depending on the state you live in...........some states do not offer a "no fault" divorce. Meaning someone will be found at fault for the reasons of the divorce. One such state is MA. Also, there is the possibility of being sued for causing "alienation of affection". A judge has alot of discretion. If there are assets being divided, consideration of spousal support, kids involved, etc.........the new relationship could be looked at closer. Ultimately, it's not against the law but there are some states that do take this into consideration when deciding financial, custody, causes for divorce. Not sure if this helps but many people are not aware of this possibility. Cathy

Comments on this post
Delilah P agrees: Great advice! California is a 50/50 state .. everything split down the middle with exception of what was owned prior to the marriage. I'm wondering about the 'alienation of affection' possibility in CA. Thanks for your sound advice!
  Reply With Quote
 
     
 
 
Old Apr 27, 2007, 03:06 PM   #9  
Senior Member
Squiffy is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 501
Squiffy See this member's comment history on his/her Profile page.
Send a message via AIM to Squiffy
Its not illegal. I dont think its a very sensible idea, at the end of the day running from one serious relationship straight into another rarely works long term. But its not illegal, and would not be classed as cheating if divorce proceedings are underway. I am almost divorced, just have to wait another 2 weeks for my decree absoloute to be pronounced, and I have been with my current partner for 2 and a half years now, as has my ex husband been with his new partner for around the same amount of time. We have been separated for nearly 4 years now, just couldnt really be bothered getting divorced before now. I have no plans to marry my partner (Been there done that!)so divorce wasnt important to us. The fact we are still legally married is just a legal technicality to my ex and I, we havent been a couple for so much time. Saying all this, a close friend of mine is living with and engaged to her partner (with a baby on the way) despite him only splitting from his wife little over a year ago. They got together very soon after he and his wife separated, but she left him, and he didnt go out looking for a new relaitonship, it just happened. They are getting married as soon as his divorce is out of the way. On the whole I dont think it is the greatest idea, but at the end of the day it may work out, and if it doesnt, people can only try to learn from their mistakes!

Comments on this post
Delilah P agrees: Thanks for your thoughtful advice. This man has been married twice. I'm thinking there is more baggage here than is needed for someone wanting to get married for the first time.
  Reply With Quote
 
     

Your Answer
Email me when someone replies to my answer
Join Login





Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

 
Similar Sponsors


Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Show Printable Version
Email this Page Email this Page

Similar Threads
We're dating, but he posted on a dating site!
(11 replies)
dating married guy for 4 years and who is now in divorce procedure
(17 replies)
what about dating during a divorce?
(9 replies)
Separation
(1 replies)
separation
(9 replies)

Search this Thread

Advanced Search

Bookmarks

Sponsors



Copyright ©2003 - 2009, Ask Me Help Desk.
All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:02 PM.