Social Media can Have a Big Impact on Your Divorce and Custody Case

Everyone has heard a story about a job seeker getting denied a job or promotion due to their online activity. Whether in the form of a questionable photo or comment, these posts on social media can be costly. However, many people do not realize the implications such activity can have on divorce proceedings and other types of family law cases.

While communicating online can be useful and fun, if you are going through a divorce or other family law matter, choose the information you share very carefully. Someone who you believe to be your friend could really turn out to be a better friend to your soon to be ex, and even the most simple interactions can be skewed against you.

Suppress the Sharing of News, Both Good and Bad

Tweets and Facebook posts can be deceiving. For example, a photo of you and your new significant other on the ski slopes in Colorado may make your ex believe that you should be paying more child support. A photo of you and a good friend out on the town may make your ex-spouse believe that you have a new significant other and are no longer entitled to spousal support.

Even if you block your ex from your social media accounts, word may still get back to him or her. Think of how many people see your posts and how many friends you likely have in common.

Your Posts are Admissible in Court

We tend to say things on social media in the heat of the moment that later on we might have thought better about. Posting comments, especially negative ones, about your ex is never a good idea, as the court generally frowns on this activity, especially if a child is involved.

These thoughts could also come back to haunt you. The judge may feel that if you would speak negatively about your spouse online that you may also speak negatively about them in the presence of the child. This could cause significant harm to your child custody case.

Social Media can Affect Your Divorce

The best way to avoid damage to your divorce or custody case from activity on social media accounts such as Twitter, Facebook, and others is to abstain from using social media, or at least posting on it, until after your divorce or child custody proceedings are finalized. If you must share information on social media, talk to your attorney about the best and safest way to proceed. Before deleting any social media accounts, be sure to discuss the same with your attorney.

While you should be careful not to post anything on social media during the pendency of your case, you should be aware of your social media presence online. There are more instances of hacking today, where your ex can guess your password or even create a fake profile. If you suspect that any of your online accounts have been hacked, inform your attorney immediately and contact the social media platform where the hacking took place. Be sure to save or screenshot any evidence of hacking.

Contact an Experienced Family Law Attorney at Robison Smith Law today.