Legal Question in Family Law in Massachusetts
My wife say that she have a mental illness. But I don't think she does, and I really don't want to be with her anymore. If I divorce her, if she does something to hurt herself or kill her self after divorce, do I have to take any responsibility for it?
2 Answers from Attorneys
If your wife thinks she has a mental condition take her to a psychiatrist to evaluate her condition.
Two reasons to do this: 1. to make sure she is competent enough to get a divorce given her condition and 2, to determine if the condition is treatable.
Generally, divorcing someone is not grounds for someone to be held legally responsible for someone committing suicide. However, her mental condition could alter the terms of your financial obligation to her given her condition and the length of your marriage.
Likewise if you take actions designed to aggravate her mental condition you could have potential liability for her actions.
Take her to a doctor for evaluation and then decide what you want to do.
What she does to herself after you're divorced is generally not your responsibility.