How social networks can damage your divorce case

Our firm investigates hundreds of divorce and child custody cases each year.

Just as it seems to have permeated every other aspect of life, social networking is now fully entrenched in the world of divorce. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers said that over the last 5 years, 81% of its members have either used or had used against them evidence gathered from social networking sites, including Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

It’s not hard to believe since a LOT of people post some of the most intimate details of their life on it. And it’s those comments, photos, status updates and insults posted for the world to see that are being used against them in divorce court.

Below is a short list of social networking mistakes people often make which can impact both divorce settlements (aka $$$) and child custody, and some suggested solutions:

1. “Showing Off”: Posting photos or comments about your latest vacation to Martha’s Vinyard, or the Hermes bag you just got might make you feel good, but it could also color the court’s opinion of your finances, spending habits, etc.

2. “Letting It All Hang Out”: If you are locked in a custody battle, and your lawyer paints you as the “prefers to spend Friday night at home with a good book” type, make sure your soon to be ex can’t refute that image with a endless slideshow of you partying with bottles of tequila/rum/vodka in your hands.

3. “Getting Tagged”: While taking down the party photos you posted yourself, remove the photos your friends tagged you in where you’re passed out in the corner of a bar drooling all over yourself.

4. “Venting”: While slandering the judge, attorneys, or soon to be ex-spouse on your own or other peoples “pages” is tempting, you’re better off following the “if you don’t have anything nice to say….” adage, since venting may ultimately be used against you.

5. “Cutting Off Everyone At Once”: While natural instinct might be to immediately excommunicate the soon to be ex in-laws and any friend remotely associated with the soon to be ex-spouse, slowly weeding them out may look less suspicious.