Can ‘cruel treatment’ impact property division in divorce?

Abstract

It seems to happen more often than not that a potential new client seeking a divorce alludes to cruel treatment by their spouse. Tennessee Williams wrote: “All cruel people describe themselves as paragons of frankness.” Cruel treatment has long been a “fault” ground for divorce — but a fault ground that has had little momentum recently. On the heels of two recent cases, cruel treatment allegations may find their way into many new divorce cases.