Going through a divorce is never an easy matter, especially for couples who share one or more children. Some Florida spouses experience a great deal of stress during a divorce, which can cause them to make choices that are not in line with their best interests. An example is found in another part of the country, where a man most certainly did not follow the advice of a child custody attorney when deciding to forge his wife’s signature on their divorce papers.
It’s hard to imagine what line of reasoning the man took in making that decision. The terms of their divorce were already worked out and agreed upon. Before forging the signature, the man made some very minor changes, essentially giving himself two extra weeks of summer visitation with his son and reducing his monthly child support by $300.
The man filed the paperwork, but when his former wife found out about the changes the divorce was reversed. When the new divorce papers were filed, they included provisions that the man would have no visitation with his son and increased child support that was $300 more than the originally agreed-upon amount. He will also pay an additional $32,000 to cover the wife’s legal fees for the second divorce as well as the cost of the criminal case against him.
There is no question that this man was not acting under the guidance of a child custody attorney when he made these decisions. In fact, it’s difficult to see why anyone would make such a poor decision and risk such serious penalties. For Florida spouses who are facing a difficult divorce and custody case, this story should serve as a warning to make wise and fully informed decisions at every step along the way.
Source: king5.com, “Port Orchard man forges wife’s name on divorce papers“, Andrew Binion, April 2, 2018
