14-year-old divorce lingers on as spouses continue disagreement
It is easy to think that divorces cases take a long time to resolve. After all, one of the main stereotypes of divorce is that every split is contentious and angry, and that both spouses lawyer up, go to court and endure a long, dragged-out divorce case. Sometimes, this can be the case. But in far more divorces, the splitting spouses just want the deed to be done. They don’t want a prolonged split that saps their finances, consumes their time and makes them feel stressed and anxious.
However, the following story will blow that sentiment out of the water. A married couple has endured a 14-year-long divorce that still isn’t complete, and doesn’t show any signs of ending in the near future.
A 73-year-old man claims his 66-year-old wife is purposely postponing divorce proceedings and delaying the completion of the divorce so that he has to keep paying her for legal fees.
On the one hand, this story serves as a warning for people who are considering divorce. Prolonged splits like this rarely have a happy ending, and both couples should strive to get their divorce completed in a timely manner.
But on the other hand, this story is also a reminder that divorce isn’t always the bitter endeavor that it is made out to be. Sometimes, the splitting spouses are perfectly amicable and understanding. They simply want to end an unfulfilling legal relationship that both spouses recognize as untenable. Bringing an attorney aboard to help you — or both spouses, in the case of divorce mediation — is a vital step.
Source: New York Post, “No end in sight for 14-year-old divorce case,” Tara Palmeri, March 5, 2014