Couples who end their relationships on good terms are fortunate. Many others face a lot of challenges, like custody battles, alimony disputes, and accusations. Recently, divorce attorneys shared their worst experiences online, revealing how some ex-partners will go to great lengths to hurt each other. One lawyer mentioned a case in which a man emptied his ex-wife’s home, taking all her food and furniture while his children were present. Another lawyer talked about a couple where neither parent wanted custody, leading them to try to avoid responsibility altogether.
Here are some of the most surprising stories from those discussions. A person recalled their mother, a divorce lawyer, and how they found it hard to watch parents fight over their kids. The mother explained that cases where neither parent wanted the kids were the hardest.
Another contributor, who wasn’t a lawyer but had worked with protection orders in a county court, shared a bizarre story about an ex-fiancé who set fire to a wedding dress soaked in gasoline. This happened in the back of her ex’s new truck while he was on a date with someone else. She ended up in jail but was smiling in her mugshot.
One commenter noted how some parents coach their young kids to make false claims against the other to win custody, which they described as ruthless behavior.
In many cultures, marriage starts with promises of permanence, yet a large number of them end in court disputes. In the United States, around 700,000 divorces happen each year, translating to a rate of 2.4 per 1,000 people. In 2025, England and Wales had over 105,000 divorces. While divorce rates are lower among younger people in the U.S., the rates for individuals over 65 have increased dramatically. Since 1990, divorces among older Americans have nearly tripled, with people over 50 now representing about 40% of all divorces in the country.
Another story shared involved a well-known NFL figure who “reconciled” with his wife just to move her to a state where divorce laws would benefit him financially. A person shared that they spoke with someone from the law firm handling his case.
One commenter claimed that often, lawyers are the most unscrupulous people during divorces. They manipulate emotions and make big promises that prolong cases and drain finances.
Another lawyer recounted a couple’s case from 2021. They had been married for 30 years, with the wife raising their four children. They lived in a state where fault was considered in divorces. The husband had been trying to convince her to move to Colorado, a no-fault divorce state. After relocating her, he served her divorce papers on the 93rd day of living there. It later emerged that he had been supporting a younger girlfriend while being married to his wife for so long.
What do you think about these divorce stories?
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Source: Bored Panda, by Eligijus Sinkunas