How Can Social Media Impact My Divorce Proceedings?

 Posted on October 23, 2020 in Divorce

Do you turn to social media to seek out support from others who share similar experiences or do you use it as a personal diary to vent about your problems? Now that social media has become so integral to our lives, these digital platforms take on different meanings for everyone. Depending on your current circumstances, social media can be a fun pastime or an emotional outlet, but when it comes to your divorce, these platforms should always remain neutral. When divorces become contentious and conflict begins to arise, social media accounts are one of the first places that your spouse’s attorney will turn for evidence in his or her favor.

Areas of Concern

The two places where contention typically surfaces is during child custody determinations and the asset division process. If your co-parent is dead set on parenting alone, they will need to provide an explanation of why you are not fit to be a parent. In some instances, these accusations can be made out spite for the conflict that occurred during your marriage, rather than a true testament of your ability to act as a responsible parent. Whether or not the accusations are actually true, social media posts can make it easy to convince the judge otherwise. A number of photos of you out with some friends, holding a beer in one hand, can be misconstrued as a common occurrence of alcohol abuse. Without adequate or accurate context, a judge can view the series of photos as a testament of your character and ability to safely parent your child, resulting in reduced or even supervised child custody orders.

Additionally, your social media presence can be telling of your financial situation. When it comes to asset division and spousal maintenance decisions, the court will decide who gets what based on each spouse’s income and personal savings. If you claim that you have a very limited income, asking for consistent spousal support or a particular marital asset, then post a photo of you on vacation, the judge can easily get the wrong idea. Even if you planned the vacation well in advance of your divorce or the trip was a gift from a close family member, your spouse can attempt to spin the situation to work in his or her favor.

As you can see, your social media posts can greatly influence the results of your divorce. Before filing, you should comb through your personal account with a critical eye, looking for any posts that could reflect a bad light on your character or financial situation. In the same way that your spouse can use your social media against you, you and your attorney can use the same tactic if you see fit. Anything that you post on the internet—no matter how much time has passed—can resurface and cause difficulties down the road.

Contact a Joliet Divorce Attorney for Help

Divorce can bring out the worst in people, going so far as turning innocent photos into evidence in a child custody case. Whether or not you see your spouse becoming difficult during the divorce proceedings, it is advisable to have an attorney who can advocate on your behalf. The Foray Firm has a team of divorce attorneys who provide dedicated legal counsel and litigation defense in the case that your divorce becomes contentious. Our firm has the tools and resources to ensure that your voice is heard throughout your case. For help with your divorce, contact our Will County divorce attorneys at 312-702-1293 today.

Source:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jefflanders/2013/08/20/how-social-media-can-affect-your-divorce/