Connecticut residents who are considering divorce may want to be careful about what they share online. It has become common practice for employers to screen candidates by looking at social media profiles, but online data may also be used in a high asset divorce case. Information about infidelity, partying and drug use can be used to cast an individual in a negative light when someone is dissolving their marriage, and people should proceed accordingly.
When assets are being divided or custody and visitation rights are being decided, online activity may play a part in a judge’s ruling. Even after a divorce has been completed, if someone wants to revisit custody or spousal support, information from the Internet may still be admissible in court. Lawyers say that social media posts often come up during a divorce, and individuals should be aware of the harm that pictures they share or information they make public could impact their case.
It is also important to note that just because someone removes their spouse from their social media friends list, it does not mean that online posts are not still accessible. Some data ends up being available to the public via archiving, and mutual friends may provide access to an individual’s account even if an account is protected. The only way to be sure that something on the Internet does not become public is to not post it in the first place.
Issues related to divorce can be complicated and a source of acrimony. Understanding how state law works may help people better manage their divorce and end up with an equitable amount of a couple’s assets. A lawyer may help someone through a divorce by explaining the laws and letting them know what to expect.
Source: The Dickinson Press, “Online information often used in divorce proceedings”, Meredith Holt, July 27, 2013
