Question:
Financially, when does the separation officially occur? Is it the date of filing for divorce?
My wife recently filed for divorce. About two months after filing, she then wrecked the car and was charged with a DUI. Am I responsible for her legal bills?
Answer:
Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to your question. In some jurisdictions, the date of valuation or property and determination of debt would automatically be the date of filing. In other jurisdictions, it is completely in the discretion of the Court.
Jill Best is the Litigation Manager for the Cordell & Cordell, P.C. office in Overland Park, Kansas. She practices exclusively in the area of domestic relations. She is licensed in the state of Missouri, the state of Kansas, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the U.S. District Court of Kansas and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Ms. Best is a frequent guest on Dads Divorce Live and has presented at numerous family law seminars for the public and fellow attorneys.
