By Michael H. Gora
As a matrimonial attorney, I cannot envision suggesting to a hard working, high earning and professional husband that the way to defeat the wife in the divorce game is to surreptitiously spend all of your money so there would be none left to divide with the wife.
That type of process will have a number of bad results. It might create legal fees to the wife and her family, who will often come to the wife’s aid, virtually spending the wife’s inheritance.
In addition, while the husband might believe that he can regain his financial position quickly, this is like betting on you in marathon. It might work out, but maybe not.
Florida statutory and appellate law has ways to stop the nonsense. A review by the wife’s lawyer and forensic accountant, if she can afford that luxury, will investigate the finances of the husband over time and come up with the husband’s plan.
Proof of the husband’s intent will usually be apparent as his spending habits will have reduced his liquidity through bizarre purchases, money spend on his new lady friend(s). Cash will be leaking directly through the husband with no rational purpose other than stuffing the greenbacks into virtual pillow cases all over the neighborhood and further.
This type of activity is often masked by the husband’s accusations of the wife’s infidelity, while he has been a long term hound dog. These types, however, seem to want to have their cake and eat it too and often, after accusing the wife of infidelity, he talks her back into bed which, technically, defeats any claim he has made against her for adultery.
This syndrome is more popular than it should be and not likely to succeed, but the cost that will result to both parties financially and emotionally will not be worth it.
Michael H. Gora has been certified by the Board of Education and Specialization of The Florida Bar as a specialist in family and matrimonial law and is a partner with Shapiro Blasi Wasserman & Gora P.A. in Boca Raton., and may be reached at (561)477-7800.