Things you shouldn’t do while going through a divorce: Lessons learned from Kim and Kanye’s split

Things you shouldn’t do while going through a divorce: Lessons learned from Kim and Kanye’s split

In Washington State, a couple who are separating can get their divorce finalized in three months after filing and signing the Petition for the Dissolution of Marriage. But some divorces may take longer to finalize for various reasons. A divorce can take an eternity to finalize if one of the spouses does the sorts of things that Kanye West does, currently divorcing his wife of seven years, Kimberly Kardashian.

If you want your divorce to be painless, dignified, and private, we recommend not doing any of the things that Kanye has done.

Insult your ex’s current partner as a form of “therapy”

Kanye West is a highly controversial public figure, to say the least. He would disrupt an acceptance speech at an awards show, set himself on fire for “art,” and air his dirty laundry in public. Saying he wants to beat Pete Davidson, Kim’s partner (as of this writing) on a track on his divorce album seems par for the course. Meanwhile, he also reportedly encouraged his fans to scream “Kimye forever” at Pete if they saw him in public. But these are not okay.

Regular people generally do not go to the same lengths that Kanye West does. For one, regular people do not record “divorce albums.” In case you were wondering if it is acceptable to intimidate your ex’s new partner, it isn’t. Do not threaten an ex-spouse’s partner with violence — even if they’re a comedian who can take a joke and may find it amusing, as Mr. Davidson reportedly does.

Rant about your divorce on social media

Respectful, pleasant, and calm are words that cannot be used to describe Kanye’s social media posts. Messy, chaotic, and outrageous are more like it. And so it is with his social media rants about his divorce. In now-deleted posts on Instagram and Twitter, Kanye leaked private text messages from Kim as well as correspondences with Pete. He also posted a photo of the truck-full of roses that he sent Kim for Valentine’s Day, one of the many disturbing ways he was trying to win her back.

People who are getting divorced may feel many negative emotions: hurt, disappointment, and anger. Expressing these emotions on social media can be tempting, but the relief that comes from not doing it is immense. You’ll be much better off keeping your divorce ramblings in your drafts folder.

Related reading: An essential guide to announcing your divorce on social media

Stall the divorce process

Kanye, who recently legally changed his name to “Ye”, tried to stall the divorce by refusing to sign the divorce papers. Kim, meanwhile, couldn’t wait to be officially single, for obvious reasons. Kim eventually got her wish, and she is now no longer Mrs. West.

Stalling the divorce process has consequences, including higher fees and more importantly, a great amount of hassle for the spouse who wants to finalize it as quickly as possible. Stalling tactics during a divorce isn’t unusual, whether the parties involve a petulant billionaire or a normal human.

Publicly accuse your ex-wife of kidnapping your child

Kanye also accused Kim of kidnapping their four-year-old daughter, Chicago, when she refused to tell him where the child’s birthday party was being held. And when he found out where the party was, he showed up uninvited. Kanye also publicly aired his grievances about how Kim allowed their other daughter, eight-year-old North, to appear on Kim’s TikTok videos.

Divorce can be tough on children, especially when the children’s parents are public figures like Kim and Kanye who thrive off attention. Regardless, it’s always ill-advised to publicly accuse your ex of kidnapping your child. And Kanye should be advised that deciding what is and isn’t acceptable in terms of their children’s social media use and/or appearance will have to be factored in as part of a future custody agreement.

What you should do: Consult a divorce attorney and follow their advice

Kim and Kanye both have the most expensive divorce attorneys that money can buy. Their attorneys are probably giving them sound advice that would make their split as smooth and as private as possible. KimYe’s divorce is neither going smoothly nor playing out privately all because Kanye is having tantrums. Alas, it seems like we are going to have to keep up with the ex-kouple’s legal battle for a few more months.

The fact is that some divorces are amicable, while some are high-conflict. Some splits are over in six months, while some drag on for six years or more. For your divorce case in Washington State, consult family law attorneys Buckingham, LaGrandeur, & Williams. We protect clients from difficult divorces and uncooperative spouses like Kanye/Ye.