Sacramento Legal Issues Blog

Marital happiness lasts for approximately seven years before the average spouse begins to get restless and stray from their vows of faithfulness - or so says the theory of "The 7-Year Itch." It probably isn't a good idea to put significant stock in a theory popularized by a movie starring Marilyn Monroe, but the concept is not complete fiction.

The underlying truth of this theory is that marriage is hard work. In the honeymoon phase, spouses are more forgiving or willing to compromise. Tension, resentment and frustration can take time to build. For some couples, the breaking point may come at seven years. In California, 10 years is another marital milestone built on both fact and fiction.

In our last post, we highlighted how important it can be for divorcing parties to carefully consider how joint credit card or loan debts will be resolved, and how third-party creditors may not be bound by a court's divorce decree. Indeed, debt may be the impetus of a couple's feelings towards each other, but control (or at least the sense of it) may keep them at odds.

As family law attorneys, we see how one party can be obsessed with controlling the lives of their ex-spouse with the children. Sometimes control is relished by creating chaos by being petty, inflexible and defiant. And when a controlling ex feels (or realizes) that they do not have power, they have a difficult time dealing with it. This can make for contentious situations where you are trying to be as diplomatic as possible.

In our last post, we highlighted the increasing popularity and value of bitcoins, a form of cryptocurrency being used by millions of consumers and merchants across the world. While bitcoin is not currently poised to overtake the U.S. dollar, British pound or euro anytime soon, it is widely accepted across online retailers. Bitcoin can be used to reserve rooms on Airbnb and Expedia, purchase furniture on Overstock, and buy video games on Ebay.

The anonymity, invisible nature and volatility of bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency can be difficult to manage in a divorce. There is little precedent detailing the accounting and division of such assets, mainly because most people don't understand how bitcoin works, where it can be located and what value is actually accurate.  It may be difficult to enforce court orders (such as an injunction) applied to bitcoin.

Our readers appreciate the technical knowledge we disseminate in our posts, but many appreciate knowing how their lives will change after a divorce is finalized. Indeed, people can describe what post-divorce life will be like, but in many cases a divorcee will simply have to experience it for themselves.

Nevertheless, it is helpful to know whether the feelings you are experiencing are normal. This post will put things in perspective.