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The goal of any divorce is to find fair solutions. However, another goal many people have is to minimize the cost of the process.
If this is a priority for you, then you would be wise to avoid some common missteps people make during the process that can result in costly ramifications.

1. Lying on financial documents – When dividing property in Ontario, spouses generally divide everything acquired during the marriage equally (though there are exceptions). To facilitate the division process, you must prepare a full financial report. If you lie on this report, exclude information or otherwise misrepresent your assets, you could face serious, financial penalties.
2. Attacking your ex – Revealing unflattering information about an ex on social media, disclosing private information or trying to intimidate him or her during a divorce can have costly repercussions. Not only could your case wind up going to court (which is typically more expensive than out-of-court solutions), you could risk facing criminal charges.
3. Trying to rush through the process – When parties are amicable, they might feel like they can rush through the legal process to divorce. However, this can lead to logistical oversights and clerical mistakes that ultimately delay the divorce and take more effort to resolve. As such, having a lawyer to help you navigate the process can allow you to avoid missteps made out of haste.
4. Making false allegations – Allegations regarding cruelty, neglect or abuse are very serious, and courts do not take them lightly. There may be investigations, court hearings and other efforts to confirm the credibility of the allegations. If such accusations are false, it can cost divorcing parties — and the court system — considerable time, money and other resources.
5. Disobeying court orders – Whether the courts issue temporary or permanent orders for protection, custody or support during a divorce, complying with them is essential. Violations of a court order can lead to fines and possible detention.

Making these mistakes can ultimately create expensive consequences for one or both parties during a divorce. Therefore, it is wise to avoid them. Instead, you can discuss with your lawyer legitimate, effective means of minimizing expenses without it jeopardizing a fair, efficient divorce.