No Legal Right, But a Human Right: Grieving the Death of an Ex-Family Member

Navigating the unspoken, complicated loss of ex-in-laws and post-divorce ties.

When a marriage ends, the public and the couple's conversation centers almost entirely on the tangible things. We talk endlessly about the legalities, the finances, and the restructuring of schedules for the children. But we rarely talk about the invisible threads, those things you cannot see as clearly. One such change is the way your family by law changes when you divorce, leaving a lingering, quiet sense of difference even if you try or want to stay close.