Does Cheating Affect Divorce Outcomes?

Infidelity. Cheating. Adultery. Lover. Paramour.

These are all words that a spouse typically does not want to hear. So, what do you do when your spouse is one that has stepped out of the marriage? Typically, you file for divorce. But, does cheating affect the divorce outcome? The answer is not that simple – a yes or no will not suffice.

Illinois is a no-fault divorce state, meaning that there is no fault attributed to either party that will change the financial outcome of the case. However, if the scandal has seriously endangered the emotional, physical, moral, or mental wellbeing of the child, the impact to that parent’s parenting time and decision-making authority for the minor child may be in jeopardy. The decisions that a spouse, who also happens to be a parent, makes can directly impact their parenting time and decision-making with the minor child or children. The allocation of parental responsibilities takes the best interests of a child into consideration when determining a parent’s involvement with a child.

Reach out to an experienced divorce and family lawyer to discuss your options in light of cheating and its implications in the divorce process. Email Jennifer Ward of Ward Family Law to discuss your options: jward@wardfamilylawchicago.com