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.
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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 (559) 900-1263 to learn more.