It's no secret - today, social media plays an important role in our
day-to-day lives. As a result, social media-based evidence is becoming
more and more common in divorce cases. Understanding how to manage your
social media during your divorce can help you obtain the best outcome
and avoid embarrassment in the courtroom, which is why it's the subject
of today's blog.
To schedule a consultation with our team for your divorce, contact us online
or via phone at {F:P:Sub:Phone}.
Consider Taking a Break From Social Media
It may seem slightly ironic that our first post on how to handle social
media starts off with "stop using social media," but it may
be prudent advice for your
divorce.
In most divorces now, social media is an accepted form of evidence. It's
not uncommon for out-of-context social media posts to be used as evidence
in divorces, and knowing what your spouse may or may not use against you
in the courtroom can be challenging.
For these reasons, unless your livelihood depends on your social media
to some extent, you may want to consider desisting from social media use
during your divorce.
Don't Post About Finances
Many parts of the divorce process will touch on your economic prosperity.
The property division process, as well as matters concerning child and
spousal support, all involve the court assessing your finances.
You don't want to post anything that gives the court the impression
that you're more or less wealthy than you actually are. For example,
if you recently purchased a new vehicle - even if it's on a payment
plan or you're using a separate asset, such as inheritance, to pay
for it - posting about that recent acquisition on social media may not
help your case for a substantial spousal support payment.
Try and be conscientious of how posting about your material wealth could
reflect on your finances and character.
Think About How Your Posts Reflect On Your Parenting Capabilities
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, if you have children, think about
how your social media posts could reflect on your capabilities as a parent.
Posts about how much you love partying or how happy you are to get a day
away from your children, for example, may not shine the best light on
your capacity as a caregiver in front of an approaching child custody case.
Similarly, you want to ensure that none of your posts depict potentially
dangerous activities happening at or around your living space. The court
will want to ensure that your home is a safe environment for your children,
so make sure your social media posts reflect that.
Before deleting any social media posts you've made in the past that
you fear could reflect badly on you, talk with your attorney. It's
difficult to know what evidence your spouse has already collected, and
courts may look unfavorably on deleting social media posts. It may be
better to simply admit to less-than-wise posts and tell the court how
your judgment has improved since that post happened.
At Arnold Law Group, APC, we'll work with you to help ensure that you
receive the best outcome in your divorce. Contact us online
or via phone at {F:P:Sub:Phone} to learn more.