Ashley Madison Leak Has Led to More Divorces

News agencies across the nation have reported the recent website hacking of Ashley Madison – an adultery-management company dedicated to facilitating infidelity among the married population – exposed more than 30 million client memberships. The private information exposed included email addresses, credit card numbers, physical addresses and sometimes sexual fantasies. An initial class-action lawsuit has been filed in Canada; several suits have been filed in the United States, with more expected to come. According to a news report by The Hill, more than 15,000 email addresses were associated with government or military accounts.

Interestingly enough, many suspect that this adulterous conduct will soon lead to an uptick in divorce across the United States, as wronged spouses look to distance themselves from their unfaithful spouses.

Infidelity and Divorce

Most jurisdictions across the nation follow the no-fault divorce doctrine. Florida is a no-fault divorce state. This means either spouse may seek a divorce in court without having to prove any other reason other than the parties no longer want to remain married. The legal term used is an “irretrievably broken” marriage. Under this rule, the court does not need to determine which spouse is at fault for the break up.

Infidelity can, however, affect other aspects of divorce depending on the case. Specifically:

• Child custody: when making custody decisions the court looks at several factors, including the moral fitness of the parent. If one party can prove the other party’s infidelity had – or is reasonably likely to have – an adverse impact on the child or children, it is within the judge’s discretion to limit the adulterous parent’s custody or visitation.
• Spousal support (aka alimony): under Florida law, adultery is a factor to be considered when a judge is determining the amount of alimony to be awarded to a soon-to-be ex-spouse. While this can come into conflict with a no-fault divorce, a judge will likely increase the wronged spouse’s alimony only if the conduct somehow increased that person’s needs.
• Property division: Florida is an equitable distribution state, meaning the courts will presumably divide marital assets and liability evenly unless it can be proven that one spouse has intentionally wasted those assets.

Orlando Divorce Help

The decision to go through a divorce is not to be taken lightly because it affects all aspects of life from property, to child custody, to finances. Competence and sensitivity is vital when seeking legal representation. The law offices of Steve W. Marsee, P.A. has served greater Orlando area with years of family law experience. Call today 407-521-7171 to schedule your initial consultation.