It is the quickest and easiest way out. He settled which meant he went for “no fault”. If he had gone for fault the divorce alone would have probably cost 30K then when custody hearing’s set in another 30-40K. Then she would have circled back on the divorce, then back to custody. It is a tactic used by divorce court attorneys (and usually only benefits directly the attorney of the spouse being divorced). It was cheaper paying out the 85K and retaining custody with far less stress and less time in court. The man and his kids can now move on in life.
I had next to nothing in assets when I was going through divorce after my former spouse ran her course. I was advised by two separate attorneys not to fight. The simple question was asked “Does it mean more for you and your kids to live together in your home and move on as quickly as possible or do you want to fight this out and bankrupt yourself?”. Given that context, it was easier buying her out and enjoying life with my kids and her nowhere around.
There’s just no way she would have won the case, or been able to even go after him. Video, pictures, social media posts would all have been proof of her being unfit as a mother, wife, possibly even being committed.