Originally Posted by unchien
Regarding the bigger issue of your XW revisiting things... I think this happens often. I fully expect it to happen in my situation.

One friend of mine had an amicable D several years ago. He had his kids 3 weekends a month. Once his XW stopped receiving support, she filed for 100% custody, claimed abuse, and he spent 6 figures clearing his name. He now has 50-50 custody but constantly worries that she may come back with a new claim and drag him back to court.

Another acquaintance of mine, for 15 years, knew that every September his XW was going to file a move-away request or something else that the court would not grant, but would require him to spend legal money and fight.

She won't change her behavior until her narrative changes. It may never change. Maybe she's in love with the fight. You can choose your own rules of engagement, including whether to ignore.

The divorce process is so hateful, so divisive. Too many scumbag lawyers and divorce counselors who advise fight and lie, rather than honesty and decency.

My STBXW was the loveliest woman I'd ever known, gentle and kind and everyone's best friend, trustworthy and dependable and honorable. Yet, 4 weeks after her filing, she accused me (through her scumbag attorney) that I was violent and they needed a restraining order against me. I am a sensitive and gentle man; it almost put in me in the emergency ward as I had chest tightness, a (temporary) heart arrhythmia, and an immediate physical reaction -- as I read that hateful letter from her attorney, I was in a meeting with others, and every pore of my upper body gushed water. I had never had a physical reaction like that.

I refuse to be angry with her about this despicable action; it was so far out of character for the woman I'd known for other 30 years. Still, as per Sandi's rules, I need to judge actions not words, and not the memory of who she was. So I can't trust her.