Violation of divorce agreement can lead to charges

Many people wrongfully assume that once a divorce is final, they may not ever have to deal with each other again, at least in a legal sense. If there are kids involved and there is a divorce agreement, the couple may certainly have to navigate the courts time and time again for years to come. Any Pennsylvania couples in the midst of divorce or who have issues with their current divorce agreement should know that violating the agreement at any time can lead to a complaint or charges in court, as is the case with a former governor and his ex-wife.

A recent complaint filed against Mark Sanford by his ex-wife, Jenny Sanford, highlights how intricate divorce agreements can be. According to reports, there is a provision in their divorce agreement that the one should not be in the other’s home without permission. Jenny Sanford recently filed a trespassing complaint when she allegedly found the ex-governor in her home without her consent. She has also stated that this has been an ongoing problem.

Mark Sanford, the somewhat infamous former governor of South Carolina, says he was at the home watching the Super Bowl with the couple’s son. He also contends that he tried to reach his ex-wife to let her know of his plans to watch the game at her house with the son. He has expressed publicly that he also believes this current complaint may have come at a time to cause issues with his current bid to seek public office again.

While most cases involving divorce agreement violations do not make the news, ex-spouses may want to follow how this case plays out in the media. Pennsylvania couples who have issues with a divorce agreement already in place may be able to seek modifications if the need arises. Couples may also want to find ways to communicate effectively so unnecessary complaints do not occur over misunderstandings.

Source: The Washington Post, “Sanford: Ex-wife’s trespassing complaint an ‘unfortunate reality’ of divorce,” Aaron Blake, April 17, 2013