Whether you are contemplating divorcing your spouse or have already made the decision, you have a lot more to think about then simply moving out and starting a new life. A divorce is a legal process that has to address issues of money, property, custody, and more. Though some couples successfully navigate these waters in a collaborative and amicable way, for others the divorce process is extremely adversarial that can break down into a nasty “He said, she said” battle. Unless you are confident that you and your spouse will be able to work things out easily, it is important for you to know how social media can affect a divorce.

When partners are trying to gain an advantage over each other in a divorce, they often rely upon evidence of wrongdoing that they can bring into the process. That may mean proof that a spouse makes more money than they are claiming that they do, or that they are behaving poorly in the presence of children. If these are hot-button issues in your divorce, then social media is a tool that can play a pivotal role. The internet has changed all of our lives, and one of the biggest ways lies in the fact that emails, text messages and social media posts can be used as evidence in court. Here are some examples of ways that it can make a dramatic difference in divorce cases:

• Alimony – If a couple is arguing over spousal support and a social media post or photos indicates that one recently got a promotion, or that one was cheating on the other, or even that one is thoroughly enjoying life after separation while portraying themselves as devastated, depressed and unable to return to work during the proceedings, those posts can be used to contradict that position. Even a post about a person relaxing or getting an all-time high score in a game when they were supposed to be searching for a job could have a devastating impact.
• Child Custody – Imagine a situation where a parent is arguing that they should be granted a greater share of custody but they post a photo of themselves drinking and partying at a club during a time when they were supposed to be watching or enjoying time with their children. Not only would they be more likely to fail in their attempt, they might end up losing some of the time that they have.
• Division of Property – Photos of new acquisitions after marital accounts are supposed to be frozen can have a powerful impact when a couple is trying to divide up property in an equitable way.

Professional and experienced divorce attorneys would strongly advise that anybody going through a divorce entirely stays off of social media during the days prior to and during the course of the proceedings. For compassionate and knowledgeable legal advice and representation, contact the attorneys at Reinherz Law.