Last month one of the big news items about the rich and famous was the divorce of business magnate Rupert Murdoch and his third wife, Wendi Deng Murdoch. After 14 years of marriage, they decided to call it quits, stating that their relationship had “broken down irretrievably” (NYDailyNews.com, November 19, 2013).
When a divorcing couple has billions in assets to divide up, it often results in a long, drawn-out acrimonious battle. But in this case, they were able to peacefully reach a divorce settlement with dignity, and spent less than 15 minutes in court to have it ratified. On behalf of the divorcing couple, a publicist released the following statement: “We are pleased to announce that we have reached an amicable settlement of all matters relating to our divorce. We move forward with mutual respect and a shared interest in the health and happiness of our two daughters.”
There were some prenuptial agreements that helped make matters easier, and although there were some issues to work out (regarding who got which homes, and custody arrangements for the children), they were able to amicably come to terms. As they parted ways after the court hearing, Wendi Murdoch was seen to kiss Rupert Murdoch’s cheek and briefly hold his hand.
Murdoch, a man of great influence and standing in the media industry, and his now ex-wife recognized the value of an uncontested divorce. With a net worth of $13.4 billion (according to Forbes), Murdoch obviously had plenty of money to pay for a long and expensive court battle with a whole fleet of divorce attorneys, had he chosen to. Instead, he opted to peacefully work out the settlement issues. Both parties clearly saw the benefits of an amicable, non-litigated divorce.
So what are some of these benefits, other than it being much less expensive than a litigated divorce? Here are just a few –
- control over decisions (you and your spouse decide how to resolve issues instead of a judge)
- more flexibility in arrangements
- more privacy
- less stressful and less emotionally draining
- easier on the children
In addition, litigation can intensify feelings of hostility, bitterness, self-doubt, and resentment. On the other hand, working with your spouse to work out an agreement that is fair and beneficial to all can produce positive feelings of integrity, competency, and dignity. For people seeking to reduce the negative effects of divorce, a non-litigated amicable divorce is certainly the way to go.
Divorce With Dignity is a national network of divorce support professionals whose aim is to help divorcing couples get through their divorce as peacefully, easily, and quickly as possible. We provide divorce support in a variety of ways – explaining how the divorce process works, assisting with divorce planning, filling out and filing the divorce papers, providing trusted referrals for other support services you may need, and more. To speak with a Divorce With Dignity specialist near you, please visit our Divorce With Dignity website. If you have to divorce, why not make it amicable and dignified? We would be honored to be your guide on that worthwhile path.
The author of this blog is not an attorney and the information contained in these blogs should not be considered legal advice. The information provided here is based on the experience of the author and some of her clients whose actual names are not mentioned. Do not hesitate to seek the advice of an attorney if you have any legal questions.
