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Social media may impact divorce outcome

by | Nov 16, 2017 | Divorce, Firm News |

When going through a marital separation in California, spouses may feel tempted to go to social media to vent. However, sharing too much can be a problem — not just personally but also legally. A few tips may help those going through divorce to avoid harming themselves in the long run when using social media.

More than 800,000 marital split-ups happen in the United States each year. In addition, seven in 10 people in the United States utilize some social media platform to stay connected with others. An important rule of thumb when going through divorce and using social media is to remember that anything written online may end up being observed, heard or read by the divorce judge.

In some divorce cases, couples fight over who gets to have custody of the children. The words that one parent writes on social media might end up being used against him or her in court. Years ago, divorcing spouses presented photos, machine voicemails, emails and handwritten letters — typically obtained through private investigators — in court to make their cases. Nowadays, gathering dirt on a former spouse is easier than ever before due to social media.

Divorce can understandably be complicated, and unfortunately, a seemingly small mistake can end up having big consequences. However, an applied understanding of the law may help a spouse to make wise decisions when navigating matters such as child custody and property division at the negotiation table or at court. An attorney in California will strive to ensure that one’s best interests are protected during each stage of the divorce proceeding.

Source: kctv5.com, “Social media posts have serious consequences for divorcing couples“, Ellen Mcnamara, Nov. 15, 2017

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