While a majority of our readers hope that their divorce will go smoothly, some of our readers know from experience that this simply isn’t the case all of the time. Emotions can run high and can become intensified if accusations of adultery are at the center of the issue. This can lead to contested divorces, leaving both spouses at either end of a bitter separation.

But as some Texas residents know, complications sometimes don’t end there, especially in a high asset divorce, where there is a lot at stake. Our readers can see this exemplified by a recent case out of New York where accusations of infidelity are also leading to accusations of theft as well.

For those unfamiliar with the case, the 22-year marriage dissolved when it was discovered that the husband had cheated on his wife with a waitress at the restaurant the wife owned. While infidelity is cited as the main reason for filing for divorce, the wife is also accusing her husband of giving away secret family recipes to his mistress as well. She claims in court documents that these recipes are now being used at a restaurant run by the mistress’ family out in Thailand.

While infidelity alone can create complicated family law issues, because of heightened emotions, the man’s estranged wife may feel that filing claims of intellectual property theft against her husband and his mistress will bring her a sense of justice in the end.

While the circumstances in this case may be uncommon, the impact this case will have on the couple down the road is something many of our readers know very well. As we said before, hurt feelings can often lead to contentious divorce proceedings that can often leave a couple unwilling to cooperate. It’s in situations such as these that legal representation is necessary for a resolution to be met.

Source: The Huffington Post, “Carnegie Deli Owner In Divorce Battle Says Husband Cheated AND Gave Away Secret Recipes,” Nov. 18, 2013