According to the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, divorce is the second most stressful life event, right after the death of a spouse. It can turn a person’s entire world upside down, and when one partner decides to make the process as difficult as possible, things can get even worse.
That is why it can feel so satisfying when their behavior finally catches up with them. One Redditor asked divorce lawyers to share stories of people who tried to use the system against their ex, only to have their tactics backfire. We gathered some of the most memorable examples below. Scroll down to read them for yourself.
#21
I knew a guy who dragged out the divorce after dozens of affairs, thought he had a stroke on a head CT so he claimed his alimony should be lower
Then another doctor said it might be a tapeworm cyst in his brain so he claimed he could not earn money to lower his alimony.
Then his wife committed s*****e while divorce proceedings were still pending. He then was paid $2 million over a 6 year period by an advocacy organization he was a lawyer for.
He's also married an actress and then cheated on her with a journalist
He's now the head of DHHS.
Then another doctor said it might be a tapeworm cyst in his brain so he claimed he could not earn money to lower his alimony.
Then his wife committed s*****e while divorce proceedings were still pending. He then was paid $2 million over a 6 year period by an advocacy organization he was a lawyer for.
He's also married an actress and then cheated on her with a journalist
He's now the head of DHHS.
31points
#22
We didn't make it to court but the result was just as good. My ex absolutely hated me for filing for divorce. From that moment on, everything was a fight. The golf clubs from my d**d dad, she wanted compensation. My inheritance from my d**d grandma, she wanted a share of the payments. Custody of our child "you work all the time so I read I can just take full custody"
Well, she started asking for insane, like, constitutional rights violation stuff and her lawyer was getting sick of it. He must have gotten real tired of her nonsense because finally he just responds to my lawyer "I've told her she can't do this and she doesn't care, she's not budging."
Needless to say, we sent a thank you for the information, we'll see you in court, and got the request to settle out of court within a week. Don't p**s off your own lawyer folks.
Well, she started asking for insane, like, constitutional rights violation stuff and her lawyer was getting sick of it. He must have gotten real tired of her nonsense because finally he just responds to my lawyer "I've told her she can't do this and she doesn't care, she's not budging."
Needless to say, we sent a thank you for the information, we'll see you in court, and got the request to settle out of court within a week. Don't p**s off your own lawyer folks.
31points
#23
I am not a lawyer, but I have a custody story that makes me happy. My friend married a woman who I was not a fan of because the first time we met she said to me, you remind me of someone I hate. Sooo... never a fan. They have a beautiful girl and then get divorced while she was young. Over time my friend married someone a lot better and made career choices that made him a good deal of money. Over time his daughter stayed with him more and more, so he wanted custody. He told his ex that he would take her, not ask for assistance and in fact throw some cash her way so when she does spend time there it goes well. She says no, and takes him to court. She was never any where as well off as he was mind you. At the end of the case, because of the daughters testimony about the mothers behaviour and how awesome of a dad he is, the judge decided to make her pay him 2k every month, full custody without any requirements for visitation. She basically lost every where possible and it was fantastic. He saved the money she gave him for her and used it to pay for college.
30points
#24
I had a boss once that I suspect had a wife as cover on some of his comments around the guys...
Anyhow he was really insecure and prevented her from working and they didn't have any kids... they retire and move to Florida
Things are going fine and then she gets a breast cancer diagnosis.. he declares I can't deal with this and files for divorce..
The judge had a field day with their the assets and gave her the Lion's share and she got to keep the house and extra for her medical treatment.. he's now renting in a trailer park.
Anyhow he was really insecure and prevented her from working and they didn't have any kids... they retire and move to Florida
Things are going fine and then she gets a breast cancer diagnosis.. he declares I can't deal with this and files for divorce..
The judge had a field day with their the assets and gave her the Lion's share and she got to keep the house and extra for her medical treatment.. he's now renting in a trailer park.
29points
#25
Friend of mines wife left him after she got caught having an affair with her wealthy client. She stood in front on the judge and only asked for her retirement account, agreed to weekend custody for their teenaged kids. She also took their credit card debt. Gave him the doublewide and the acre it sat on. She was ordered to pay a small amount of child support. He got off well all things considered. He was a game warden in Texas. Small town, everyone knows everyone.
She married the wealthy guy the weekend after divorce was final. Kids did not attend. My friend was heartbroken still, and his brothers and his dad took him to the horse track/casino and all gave him like 20 bucks each to bet on the races cause he was broke. He won like 1200 and gave them all their money back. As they were leaving, walking past the slots his dad said he should make few spins on that 5$ line machine cause "you got to play big to win big" so he laughed and on the 3rd spin, won 8 million.
She took him back to court wanting custody, same judge. Before the lawyers could even open their briefcases he looked at her and said "3 months ago you wanted nothing to do with the kids, and they wanted nothing to do with you. Only change I see now is your ex husband has 6 zeros on his bank statement instead of 3, i am not going to force 2 teenagers to live with you madam. You have child support due at the end of the month, every month till they are 21. Do not force the state to collect it, you might chip one of them fancy nails on the bunk down at the sheriff's office"
She tried again later when he moved to a new jurisdiction and the new judge looked at her payments and earnings and raised her to the max allowed. She never tried again, and the kids haven't spoken to her in 15 years, last I know of was at her father's funeral.
She married the wealthy guy the weekend after divorce was final. Kids did not attend. My friend was heartbroken still, and his brothers and his dad took him to the horse track/casino and all gave him like 20 bucks each to bet on the races cause he was broke. He won like 1200 and gave them all their money back. As they were leaving, walking past the slots his dad said he should make few spins on that 5$ line machine cause "you got to play big to win big" so he laughed and on the 3rd spin, won 8 million.
She took him back to court wanting custody, same judge. Before the lawyers could even open their briefcases he looked at her and said "3 months ago you wanted nothing to do with the kids, and they wanted nothing to do with you. Only change I see now is your ex husband has 6 zeros on his bank statement instead of 3, i am not going to force 2 teenagers to live with you madam. You have child support due at the end of the month, every month till they are 21. Do not force the state to collect it, you might chip one of them fancy nails on the bunk down at the sheriff's office"
She tried again later when he moved to a new jurisdiction and the new judge looked at her payments and earnings and raised her to the max allowed. She never tried again, and the kids haven't spoken to her in 15 years, last I know of was at her father's funeral.
29points
#26
Not a divorce but a custody case. Young couple and exgf was very controlling throughout relationship. As in texting all day and night even when he was at work. Finally he had it and left. The moment he left she kept him from the kid completely. Two years of his kids life he missed, and the kid was two so he basically forgot his own dad.
Dad tried regularly to see the kid by calling or texting but tried not to cross a line and get the cops called so he never showed up to the house. Finally figured out if he filed for child support he could get a custody agreement. She goes nuclear. Protective order. Goes to a DV organization and paints him as the worst person alive. We go to mediafion. She only wants him to have supervised visitation...until the kid is 18 and she wants double child sulport. Moronic. We even offer reduced custody and some supervision initially to appease her. Extra child support (not double but a bit more). No dice. All or nothing with this woman.
After four full trial afternoons (we were scheduled for 4 hour blocks at a time and had to come back week after week), endless testimony and going through their asinine text messages....my client gets expanded visitation, minimum child support (he earned very little)...and the protective order was even dissolved. Judge chews her out.
Really hate family law.
Dad tried regularly to see the kid by calling or texting but tried not to cross a line and get the cops called so he never showed up to the house. Finally figured out if he filed for child support he could get a custody agreement. She goes nuclear. Protective order. Goes to a DV organization and paints him as the worst person alive. We go to mediafion. She only wants him to have supervised visitation...until the kid is 18 and she wants double child sulport. Moronic. We even offer reduced custody and some supervision initially to appease her. Extra child support (not double but a bit more). No dice. All or nothing with this woman.
After four full trial afternoons (we were scheduled for 4 hour blocks at a time and had to come back week after week), endless testimony and going through their asinine text messages....my client gets expanded visitation, minimum child support (he earned very little)...and the protective order was even dissolved. Judge chews her out.
Really hate family law.
27points
#27
He sued his lawyer halfway through the divorce litigation to not pay her legal fees and lost horribly. Turns out he fired her after she refused to use “salted earth” tactics in the divorce litigation and those details came out in the reasons for judgement.
The reasons for judgement was then used in the divorce litigation. He stopped cooperating with the court and it ended with bailiffs grabbing and selling his known assets, including millions of dollars worth of real estate, to satisfy the court ordered judgement and costs.
The reasons for judgement was then used in the divorce litigation. He stopped cooperating with the court and it ended with bailiffs grabbing and selling his known assets, including millions of dollars worth of real estate, to satisfy the court ordered judgement and costs.
27points
#28
My brother ex-wife was fighting for high alimony for herself (this is EU) because she "couldnt work" due to medical reasons especially sick spine.
She showed up in the court in heels xD
Judge saw that, dropped some sarcastic comment and dismissed the application 10 minutes later.
She showed up in the court in heels xD
Judge saw that, dropped some sarcastic comment and dismissed the application 10 minutes later.
26points
#29
One of my best friends has 2 disabled children. They will always need assistance but can live a good life, they are loving, bright, kind, and fun. They are happy and she is the one making it so they can have this quality of life.
Her husband cheated, filed for divorce, and through his lawyer fought to pay no alimony, no child support, and minimal assistance with medical stuff. One of his arguments was that he never agreed to having a baby, and he told her to get an abortion when they did the tests for down's syndrome with their first. Also he said the second might not be his because she hardly had s*x with him due to the amount of time she had to spend with their first born. She never cheated. She didnt have time.
Judge tore him a new one. Awarded way more child support than she had expected, plus alimony, plus changed his health insurance to include the kids, plus his car because she didnt have one and was ubering to everything, plus the house as they were living in an apartment while he and his Mistress kept the house. Mistress left him. Job hated him and managed him out. Family drifted away. He once told me, drunk, that she had ruined his life. Despite everything he couldn't see that he ruined it all on his own.
Edit: reading comprehension fam. The ex wife is my best friend. He is not. At all.
Her husband cheated, filed for divorce, and through his lawyer fought to pay no alimony, no child support, and minimal assistance with medical stuff. One of his arguments was that he never agreed to having a baby, and he told her to get an abortion when they did the tests for down's syndrome with their first. Also he said the second might not be his because she hardly had s*x with him due to the amount of time she had to spend with their first born. She never cheated. She didnt have time.
Judge tore him a new one. Awarded way more child support than she had expected, plus alimony, plus changed his health insurance to include the kids, plus his car because she didnt have one and was ubering to everything, plus the house as they were living in an apartment while he and his Mistress kept the house. Mistress left him. Job hated him and managed him out. Family drifted away. He once told me, drunk, that she had ruined his life. Despite everything he couldn't see that he ruined it all on his own.
Edit: reading comprehension fam. The ex wife is my best friend. He is not. At all.
25points
#30
This was from the divorce of a friend of mine. Her husband was so verbally a*****e, and he fought her over everything and tried to make sure she got nothing. He made the divorce take so long.
Anyway, he was trying to make her out to be an unfit mother, so he was calling her insane and demanded a court appointed psychiatrist to assess her. Problem he didn’t plan for was that the psychiatrist had to assess both of them. After meeting with both of them and their children the psychiatrist had a glowing assessment of my friend and a scathing assessment of the husband. They called out his a*****e behavior and manipulative actions. This all got reported to the court.
In the end she has majority custody because he has to work more, so he pays her child support and alimony.
Anyway, he was trying to make her out to be an unfit mother, so he was calling her insane and demanded a court appointed psychiatrist to assess her. Problem he didn’t plan for was that the psychiatrist had to assess both of them. After meeting with both of them and their children the psychiatrist had a glowing assessment of my friend and a scathing assessment of the husband. They called out his a*****e behavior and manipulative actions. This all got reported to the court.
In the end she has majority custody because he has to work more, so he pays her child support and alimony.
25points
#31
Cliche' "not a lawyer," but I used to produce radio commercials for a couple few attorneys. This one husband and wife law team switched from divorce to handling injury accident cases. When I asked why they changed, they said it was because handling divorce cases was making them lose their faith in humanity.
25points
#32
I'm going back 25 years, but there was an epic forum post. I've mentioned it before and reddit wants to say "that's not how divorce works" while forgetting there are 50 states with different laws.
I think it was some BMW forum. Dude thought his wife was not acting normal, but overlooked it. I think the first red flag was like her car out of gas, yet he filled it last week and she worked close to home. Where was she going? He stopped by her work one day, and she wasn't there. He hired a private investigator, and caught her cheating. He paid the guy some more, and he built up a serious case of her not going to work, this other address she was always at, out to lunch with him, kissing him in the parking lot, etc. This went on for like 2 months while he was speaking with a divorce lawyer. He had started to question why she was acting weird, and out of the blue she demands a divorce. Something like "if you don't trust me, I want a divorce!" He moves out, it goes to court, she asks for half of everything, and his lawyer slapped down a 3 inch binder with all the proof of her cheating, not working, going to this guy's house, pictures of them holding hands and kissing, etc. Insert jaw drop on her part. He countered something like "take over the mortgage and you can keep the house, not a penny of anything else." No retirement fund access, no half their savings, etc. She was cooked as the kids say today, and her lawyer quickly told her to take it or it could be worse later.
I think it was some BMW forum. Dude thought his wife was not acting normal, but overlooked it. I think the first red flag was like her car out of gas, yet he filled it last week and she worked close to home. Where was she going? He stopped by her work one day, and she wasn't there. He hired a private investigator, and caught her cheating. He paid the guy some more, and he built up a serious case of her not going to work, this other address she was always at, out to lunch with him, kissing him in the parking lot, etc. This went on for like 2 months while he was speaking with a divorce lawyer. He had started to question why she was acting weird, and out of the blue she demands a divorce. Something like "if you don't trust me, I want a divorce!" He moves out, it goes to court, she asks for half of everything, and his lawyer slapped down a 3 inch binder with all the proof of her cheating, not working, going to this guy's house, pictures of them holding hands and kissing, etc. Insert jaw drop on her part. He countered something like "take over the mortgage and you can keep the house, not a penny of anything else." No retirement fund access, no half their savings, etc. She was cooked as the kids say today, and her lawyer quickly told her to take it or it could be worse later.
25points
#33
Not a lawyer.
My wife's daughter was in a car accident at 14. The lawyer who handled the insurance medical claims met my wife's ex a couple of times at the hospital and told my wife that when they eventually get divorced to call her and she'd handle it pro-bono.
That happened, the lawyer handled it for free, and the ex failed to show up at the end and my wife got everything they asked for as the judge ruled against him.
I met them shortly after and we've been married 30 years now 😄.
My wife's daughter was in a car accident at 14. The lawyer who handled the insurance medical claims met my wife's ex a couple of times at the hospital and told my wife that when they eventually get divorced to call her and she'd handle it pro-bono.
That happened, the lawyer handled it for free, and the ex failed to show up at the end and my wife got everything they asked for as the judge ruled against him.
I met them shortly after and we've been married 30 years now 😄.
24points
#34
Friend’s mum was offered $18m by his dad to divorce. She refused the offer saying it wasn’t enough and she wanted what she believed was half the marital assets. I have no idea of this guys net worth but it was/is extreme. The problem was everything they had access to except their main family house was owned by a trust and she refused to believe that she wasn’t entitled to anything in the trust or half of its assets, which I assume was a lot more than $18m. It went to court.
She got half the house and a few items from it, which was about $2.5m.
He used to go and see her in her flat and she was f*****g bitter as hell about it. I went there once and she sat the whole time smoking pot whinging to my friend about what an a*****e his dad is. He may have been an a*****e but she was a greedy, resentful c**t. He was no angel either but he had offered her $18m to leave.
She made her own bed and didn’t like sleeping in it.
She got half the house and a few items from it, which was about $2.5m.
He used to go and see her in her flat and she was f*****g bitter as hell about it. I went there once and she sat the whole time smoking pot whinging to my friend about what an a*****e his dad is. He may have been an a*****e but she was a greedy, resentful c**t. He was no angel either but he had offered her $18m to leave.
She made her own bed and didn’t like sleeping in it.
24points
#35
Not a lawyer, but I chose to not pursue a divorce on based on adultery because the burden of evidence (I knew I could get it, but didn’t want to waste my time/money getting it legitimately). Anyway, during the divorce process in court my lawyer slipped in that we had initially filed based off adultery when the judge was looking for the filing. My (now ex) brother in law was there as my ex’s witness and very obviously had no clue 💅 now the whole family knows.
23points
#36
Not a divorce lawyer, but my father spent 16 years dragging out his divorce process with my mother. When she finally won she won 50% of assets 12 years prior, with interest, and not taking into account his future losses. The judgment is so huge that he has been completely wiped out for the rest of his life. Can't even afford rent. We made sure he is housed now and he gets decent social security (Which she does not garnish) but still.
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23points
#37
I’m not a lawyer and this isn’t court karma but real life karma.
When we divorced (over 30 years ago) my ex sold the house, tried to keep the kids, and lied about his income to pay the bare minimum in child support.
I was a stay at home mom with little to no work experience. He told a mediator that I should just hand our children over to him and go live in a basement suite somewhere.
My legal aid lawyer got me the federally mandated child support and not much more.
I got a job, took some classes, got a better job, created a beautiful home for me and my kids, took them on vacations and built a really good life.
Then I met a wonderful man, started a business and built an even better life.
Today I live in a 2 million dollar home with my soul mate, travel and have a great relationship with my kids. I am living my best life.
Guess where he is? Yep, living in a rented basement suite, no partner, no vacations and will have to continue to work well into his 70s.
The kids spend time with him but they aren’t really close.
Karma baby.
When we divorced (over 30 years ago) my ex sold the house, tried to keep the kids, and lied about his income to pay the bare minimum in child support.
I was a stay at home mom with little to no work experience. He told a mediator that I should just hand our children over to him and go live in a basement suite somewhere.
My legal aid lawyer got me the federally mandated child support and not much more.
I got a job, took some classes, got a better job, created a beautiful home for me and my kids, took them on vacations and built a really good life.
Then I met a wonderful man, started a business and built an even better life.
Today I live in a 2 million dollar home with my soul mate, travel and have a great relationship with my kids. I am living my best life.
Guess where he is? Yep, living in a rented basement suite, no partner, no vacations and will have to continue to work well into his 70s.
The kids spend time with him but they aren’t really close.
Karma baby.
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23points
#38
She agreed to a payout of alimony after playing games with it for years (bringing spouse in for contempt when he was a week behind, while acting so crazy and calling his employer every day to the point where they let him go because it was too much.) It was far less than originally offered to her as a payout but she wanted a lump sum at this point because she was broke. She thought she had “won” by getting a big check and had bragged to people that she was getting a big divorce settlement. The check was purposefully made out to her attorney and she had racked up such a huge bill with her games that she got none of it. The look on her face when she realized the check was made out to the attorney and she wouldn’t see a dime was priceless. She had also demanded the house and so she got it, along with the mortgage, which ended up being foreclosed upon and constables had to get her out when she refused to leave. At the beginning of the divorce she had destroyed all of his belongings, sold his cars, and wouldn’t let him in on the date the court ordered her to allow him in to get his stuff. She stalked and harassed him relentlessly until he got a restraining order, which she continually violated and actually ended up in jail for a couple of months. She was nuts and an absolute nightmare. What goes around comes around.
18points
#39
I don’t know all the details, but a childhood neighbour wanted to divorce her husband due to a***e.
Took years of him dragging it out and four different lawyers fired him. After he tried running up her bills by continuously emailing her lawyer, she ended up with one the firm partners taking over the case. She had a much fairer deal through court just because he pissed her much more experienced lawyer off so much he took a pay cut.
Took years of him dragging it out and four different lawyers fired him. After he tried running up her bills by continuously emailing her lawyer, she ended up with one the firm partners taking over the case. She had a much fairer deal through court just because he pissed her much more experienced lawyer off so much he took a pay cut.
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17points
#40
I had a boss who used to cheat on his wife and she finally got tired of it. He tried to nickel and dime her during the divorce using the kid as a pawn. A couple of weeks after it went through, she said she felt lucky and bought a lottery ticket.
You know the rest....
You know the rest....
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17points
