Of course, you can date during your divorce.
Dating during your divorce is legal in California. The bigger question is whether that is the best thing to do during your divorce. You need to think about the emotional impact of dating during the divorce.
If you had an affair with this person during the marriage, now that you are getting divorced, you may want to openly have a relationship with them. A relationship coming out into the open during the divorce process can impact your soon-to-be ex-spouse’s emotions. This emotional impact on your spouse could cause more conflict and result in a longer and more expensive divorce. Thus, you might want to think carefully and balance your need to be open with your new relationship against the impact on your spouse.
If you have children, you want to be careful when and how you introduce your children to a new significant person in your life.
This is where Collaborative Divorce team coaches are very helpful. They can help parents understand how to move ahead with your adult relationships while honoring your role as a parent.
People often want attorneys to give them black and white answers. Usually, the answer is not black and white because it depends on the facts and circumstances that are different for every divorce case. The best option changes from person to person. If you and your best friend are going through divorces at the same time, it might be totally different processes and totally different experiences. Not every divorce is alike, so you may each want to act in different ways.
There are many moving parts to dating during the divorce process.
I always suggest people going through a divorce should get some counseling or therapy. If you have never been down the divorce road, you do not know the minefields. It is helpful to have a counselor to help you through those minefields. It is better for you; it is better for your children, and it is going to make for a more peaceful and less expensive divorce process. While dating is acceptable during your divorce, just be careful to think twice and get professional guidance.
