Civil Rights
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Sometimes, ex-spouses lie in court -- especially when it comes to money and assets. According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, nearly three in 10 Americans admit to financial deception with partners.
For couples seeking a divorce, such deception can potentially be criminal. That's because lying during divorce proceedings is illegal, and can lead to penalties for perjury.
But what are you supposed to do when a soon-to-be ex lies during your divorce case?
Use the Discovery Process
Spouses who won't voluntarily fork over financial information will still need to hand it over through the formal fact-finding process called discovery -- a court-ordered exchange of information that's part of every divorce case.
Your attorney may use the following divorce discovery tools to get reliable financial information from the other party:
If You Suspect Dishonesty, Tell Your Attorney
To preserve honesty in your divorce case, immediately let your divorce attorney know when you believe your spouse is not being forthright about a specific issue.
When spouses sign financial affidavits -- a document required in contested as well as some uncontested divorces -- they are swearing, under penalty of perjury, that they are telling the truth about their finances and aren't holding anything back in their financial disclosures.
If you have cause for concern about your spouse's honesty (or even your own, for example, because you don't know how to accurately reflect your finances as a homemaker), immediately notify your divorce attorney.
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