[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/the-role-of-addiction-in-divorce\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/the-role-of-addiction-in-divorce\/","headline":"The Role of Addiction in Divorce","name":"The Role of Addiction in Divorce","description":"When an addicted spouse fails or refuses to seek treatment for an addiction, such as an alcohol, drug, sex, or gambling addiction, a divorce sometimes becomes inevitable.\u00a0Unfortunately, after struggling as a family unit, the divorce is often a struggle as well.\u00a0Our\u00a0Grand Rapids divorce attorneys\u00a0outlined some of the difficulties. Addiction Can Lead to a Sudden Divorce […]","datePublished":"2021-02-08","dateModified":"2025-09-15","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/author\/james-kraayeveld\/#Person","name":"James Kraayeveld","url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/author\/james-kraayeveld\/","identifier":29,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f327c36375f93cacc1f5818cbd6ca5f9c1c362ddf86682a8d1f0adac2b1f6198?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f327c36375f93cacc1f5818cbd6ca5f9c1c362ddf86682a8d1f0adac2b1f6198?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Kraayeveld Family Law","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Kraayeveld-Logo.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Kraayeveld-Logo.svg","width":0,"height":0}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/cta-image-attorneys.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/cta-image-attorneys.jpg","width":454,"height":599},"url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/the-role-of-addiction-in-divorce\/","about":["Divorce"],"wordCount":552,"articleBody":"When an addicted spouse fails or refuses to seek treatment for an addiction, such as an alcohol, drug, sex, or gambling addiction, a divorce sometimes becomes inevitable.\u00a0Unfortunately, after struggling as a family unit, the divorce is often a struggle as well.\u00a0Our\u00a0Grand Rapids divorce attorneys\u00a0outlined some of the difficulties.Addiction Can Lead to a Sudden DivorceSome parents end up divorcing the addicted spouse unexpectedly. Their spouse\u2019s addiction affected the children\u2019s safety, and regardless of the parent\u2019s compassion for their spouse\u2019s problem, they must separate and divorce to keep the children safe.Because addiction has affected most aspects of the family members\u2019 lives, a spouse often assumes that the addiction will not be disputed.\u00a0 Sometimes the addicted parent will minimize or deny the addiction. When this happens, the dispute may prevent a settlement of the case and increase the overall cost of the litigation.\u00a0A divorce attorney may be able to request drug testing, request a forensic review of computers or phones, or obtain copies of bank or credit card records to review the addicted spouse\u2019s behaviors; however, if a spouse had scheduled a pre-planning session with an attorney, the spouse could have potentially gathered relevant records before separation. Obtaining proof informally, and before separation, can often save significant money and time.Can a Family Lawyer Help Make Sure the Addicted Spouse Receives Treatment?Sometimes a divorce or\u00a0custody filing is the necessary incentive for a spouse to face his or her addiction and seek treatment.\u00a0After years of broken promises, a spouse may not believe that the addicted ex-spouse will continue on the path of recovery. Even so, the Grand Rapids family law attorneys at Kraayeveld Family Law can help with a custom order to put\u00a0safeguards in place, such as required counseling, alcohol testing devices, and such.Will My Spouse Still Be Required to Pay Child and Spousal Support While Suffering From Addiction?When a spouse suffers from a substantial addiction, he or she may become unemployed.\u00a0Even so, the court will likely still order\u00a0child support\u00a0and sometimes\u00a0spousal support,\u00a0based on the addicted parent\u2019s ability to earn an income.\u00a0However, an order for support does not equal actually receiving child or spousal support.\u00a0There can be a delay in collecting these funds. Meanwhile, a parent and the children may end up in a financial bind.Drug and Alcohol Addiction Can Lead to Diminishing AssetsMany addictions cost money. The financial cost of alcohol, drugs, gambling or sex can be staggering. The person suffering from an addiction tends to hide his or her use of the\u00a0family\u2019s assets, and when even the retirement fund has been depleted, there is little recourse. A Grand Rapids divorce attorney can assist with creating an audit trail of which assets a spouse used to fund the addiction, but once an asset is gone, it is difficult or sometimes impossible to recover it.\u00a0For this reason, a spouse married to someone suffering from an addiction will benefit from scheduling a consultation with a divorce law firm to determine which assets could be at risk for permanent loss.If your spouse struggles with an addiction, call our office at\u00a0616-285-0808\u00a0to\u00a0schedule a planning session\u00a0with one of our\u00a0Grand Rapids family law attorneys."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Role of Addiction in Divorce","item":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/the-role-of-addiction-in-divorce\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]