When you meet with your Broward divorce lawyer, you may feel the need to tell him or her that your spouse has cheated. Prior to filing for divorce in Fort Lauderdale, your divorce attorney will explain to you that Florida is a no-fault state. You do not need to prove that one spouse was at fault in order for the Florida marital and family law judge to enter a Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage.
The divorce rate in Florida is down. However, the percentage of married people who have reported cheating and infidelity remains the same. Some sociologists and demographers explain that the cheating is due to the economy. Others explain that there is a decline in the number of married people and people waiting until they are older to marry in cities throughout Miami-Dade and Broward.
In a recent survey by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 37% of lawyers responded that business has dropped during these tough financial times. This may be explained by a survey from the Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts that found that the recession led many couples to delay the filing of their divorce case in Broward. Additionally, federal data indicates that the divorce rate has been falling since 1990.
While divorce may have become less common in Plantation, Hollywood, Weston and Pembroke Pines, your divorce attorney will explain to you that cheating and infidelity did not. In the 1990’s, 14% of married individuals reported having sex with someone other than their spouse. An increasing number of couples are getting married once they are over the age of 30 and college educated. While age and education are two factors that increase the chances of a successful marriage, the decision to divorce after infidelity is also part of the story.
Surveys of people who remain married after infidelity indicate that they feel happier and are living healthier and wealthier lives than those who file for divorce. This may have to do with the decision not to divorce than it does with the generally positive effects of marriage itself. However, the process of remaining married after infidelity is not always easy.
Married couples who want to save their marriage after an affair have to walk two different paths while trying to remain together. The spouse who cheated often feels euphoric since the truth is out and he or she is returning to a socially respectable state. On the other hand, the spouse who was cheated on experiences a lot of grief, anger, sadness and shame while needing to sort through a lot of matters about the affair and their marriage.