For better or worse, social media has become a part of our daily lives. While social media can provide an effective outlet to vent your frustrations during a divorce, you have to be careful. What you say online could be used against you. That being said, social media can be a great place to turn to find evidence that supports your positions on a wide variety of divorce legal issues, from child custody to property division and alimony.
The offensive use of social media
Using your spouse’s social media posts against him or her can be powerful. In many instances, these posts can be indicative of extramarital affairs that can affect an alimony determination, but it doesn’t stop there. A social media post might also show that certain marital assets are being hidden or squandered away, or that your spouse is acting in a way that is indicative of an inability to appropriately parent your child.
But in order to successfully use this evidence you have to be diligent in its collection. Take notes about what you find and put it in context. Always take screenshots that clearly document concerning posts. Then, be prepared to competently use them as evidence in court, if needed. Whatever you do, though, don’t use any form of deceit to obtain damaging posts. This can actually significantly hurt your case.
Don’t forget to play defense
As mentioned above, you should be careful when using social media during a divorce. In fact, it’s probably best to avoid it altogether unless you’re just gathering evidence. But if you’re accused of something based on a social media post, you need to know how to frame it to minimize or eliminate its impact. For this and all other issues pertaining to divorce and social media, consult with your attorney.
