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How social media impacts divorce cases

On Behalf of | May 13, 2018 | Firm News

Attorneys frequently bring electronic evidence into court to bolster their clients’ claims for more alimony, more child support or other aspects of divorce. In addition to social media posts, lawyers may be able to acquire emails and even geotag locations to provide a clearer picture of how the other spouse spent assets. Social media often comes to court to prove whether the other spouse committed adultery.

Social media can work in your favor during a divorce, but it can also bomb your case if you are not careful yourself. An attorney can give you guidance on whether getting social media posts involved in the case could work to your advantage, and it helps to know how much may constitute evidence.

Ways to use social media to help your case

When a divorce is the result of adultery, the spouse may want to use social media to prove infidelity occurred. However, California is a no-fault state for divorce. This means judges will typically not grant more alimony because a spouse cheated. However, in the event social media can prove the spouse currently cohabitates with another partner, then you might be able to use that as grounds for an argument to pay less alimony. In such situations, the ex already likely receives support from someone else and, thus, there could be an argument that he or she does not require as much money from you.

Ways social media can come back to bite you

During divorce proceedings, you need to be careful of what you post. For starters, spending too much time on social media is not good for your emotional health. You may feel tempted to check in on your ex often, and this can fuel anger and resentment. You also want to avoid over-sharing. You may want to avoid posting any information about getting into a new relationship, and avoid posting pictures of any pricey purchases. You don’t want to give your ex potential ammunition to use in divorce proceedings.

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