Reasons why someone may try to change a divorce decree

On Behalf of | Jul 12, 2021 | Divorce |

Some people want to change their divorce decree even after their divorce was already finalized in New Hampshire. This often happens when they realize that one of the assets wasn’t included in this agreement, but their former spouse has possession of it. In most cases, divorce decrees are final no matter what. However, they might get changed for several different reasons.

Mistakes

It’s not uncommon for there to be some sort of mistake in a divorce decree. When this happens, a judge might grant a change in the decree. It will greatly depend on whether the mistake affects any of the assets previously dispersed. Even if a mistake happened, the plaintiff will have to explain why they didn’t catch the mistake beforehand.

Fraud

Some individuals do present false information during a divorce in order to get certain assets. This may include hiding assets so that the other spouse doesn’t know about them or lying about how much an asset is worth. In these instances, a judge may allow a change to the divorce decree if the other party can prove that they didn’t know about these assets or their worth beforehand.

While changes in a divorce decree do happen, they are rare. Requests usually need to be made within one year of the original decree. If you think that you have a valid reason to change your divorce decree, you need to consult an attorney to help gather evidence. While it is difficult to get a change granted by a judge, you may be able to increase your chances if you have a sufficient amount of evidence to back up your claim.