I came across this interesting post written by Donna Cullen. I thought I would share it with you all for today. Donna can be reached at her website.
There are many different reasons that would cause one spouse to ask the other to leave the home. Some of those reasons will also lead to an eventual divorce, some will not. Generally, the reasons relate to some type of ongoing extreme behavior, that the spouse is no longer willing to tolerate.
Infidelity – The discovery of sexual infidelity by the spouse can often lead to this result. The hurt and mistrust that result from an affair can often lead a spouse to insist on the unfaithful party leaving the home, at least temporarily.
Physical Abuse – When a spouse has suffered physical injury at the hands of their partner, they have every right to ask the offender to leave the home. Many times a spouse may need to file an order of protection with the court, in these cases, to prevent the perpetrator from returning.
Emotional Abuse – Emotional abuse can be just as damaging as physical abuse, although it doesn’t leave the same visible wounds. Extreme control and verbal abuse are two forms of emotional abuse that can lead a person to kick their spouse out of the home.
Gambling Addictions – With the availability of gambling on the internet, in casinos and state lotteries, many addictive personalities fall prey to this habit, which can easily destroy the finances of a household. When all else has failed, a spouse may resort to kicking the gambler out of the home.
Overspending – Gambling isn’t the only way to destroy a family’s financial security. Simply overspending with credit cards can accomplish the same dilemma. When the spouse has also tried to hide the debt, it adds to the lack of trust that can cause a breaking point in the relationship.
Alcohol Abuse – Alcoholism is a chronic problem that many married couples deal with. When an alcoholic spouse refuses to seek treatment for their problem, their wife or husband may choose to kick them out of the house, in hopes that the loss of their home will encourage them to seek the help they need.
Drug Abuse – Just like alcohol abuse, drug abuse can become a chronic problem that requires treatment. Since drug use usually also involves illegal activity, a spouse may kick the drug user out of the home to protect themselves from being connected with the crime, and to encourage the use to seek treatment.
Child Abuse – When one spouse is abusive towards one or more of the children in the home, a spouse may need to insist that the abusive spouse leave the home for the sake of the children. This is another case where an order for protection should be filed with the court.
Lack of Support – When one spouse has been providing all the income for a household and the other is not willing to provide support financially or in the home, frustration levels may reach a point where the spouse refuses to allow the other spouse to benefit from their work by sharing in the home.
Mental Health Issues – Occasionally, mental illness can become an issue which leads one spouse to ask the other to lead the home. Mental illness comes in many forms, and can be difficult to deal with on a day to day basis.
Whether the reasons for being kicked out of your home are legitimate or not, need to be decided by the courts. Family court is the best way to handle these situations, if they cannot be resolved by the two parties themselves.
—————————————-
Jeff’s Note: I would also add that some spouses are kicked out of the house for allegations of child abuse (i.e. parental alienation) as well. With issues like allegations, the dynamics become chaotic very quickly.
