Pitfalls of Using Social Media Websites During Divorce

 Posted on July 15, 2012 in Family Law

Since the advent of the social media website, many people are sharing their lives on the internet. You can find whole families of people sharing pictures, stories and other things through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. Employers have been warning their employees for years about the dangers of representing a company online. Multinational companies have since starting drafting policies outlining how to use these tools of broad communication. CBS Local reports that divorce lawyers are now warning of a downside of using social media during divorce proceedings.

The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers says that 80% of divorce lawyers are seeing information from Facebook being used in divorce proceedings. Social media can provide an accurate timeline for affairs or show past insults and indiscretions. At least that’s what most people assume would be a risk for using Facebook. But e-discovery can be more encompassing than that according to Karen Conti, a law professor at the University of Illinois. She states that another aspect to worry about is “(c)ustody battles. Where you might see a parent smoking pot or something that would have an impact on their ability to be a good parent. Someone has taken a trip or they’re dissipating family money…or they’re doing something that’s not in the best interest of the family.”

Estranged spouses can be looking on your Facebook accounts to see if there is anything they can use against you in court to gain an upper hand. Most lawyers advise to shut down your Facebook account right away to curtail any damages to your case. Getting divorced is a time of enhanced scrutiny for any individual. Thinking that a post on Facebook can’t be used against you is something you should think twice about. If you have any questions about other guidelines you should follow or what the next step is for your divorce filing, then don’t hesitate to contact an experienced divorce attorney in DuPage County IL.