For most individuals, Facebook is an innocent and fun way to connect with friends and family. But for someone going through a divorce, social media such as Facebook can be a dangerous and costly tool. For divorce attorneys, sites such as Facebook have provided a way of disparaging the opposing party and providing evidence that was not available in the past. For example, a father claiming to have no money can be proven wrong by his soon to be ex-wife’s attorney by showing pictures of a brand new BMW he posted pictures of on his Facebook page. Or the mother who swears she does not drink alcohol can be proven to be a liar by opposing counsel when there are photos of her with drinks in hand all over her Facebook page in close proximity of her making such a statement.
The days of privacy and anonymity are long gone. Savvy lawyers are now able to find anything online, including photos and evidence from job networking sites and Facebook posts. It is important to consider this when going through a divorce, and in the process of any litigation. Even with the most private and secure settings it is possible to gain access to these sites, or for someone else to gain access to these sites. Therefore, it is very important to use common sense and discretion when using social networking sites during the dissolution process. A good rule of thumb would be not to post anything you wouldn’t want the entire world to see, or that you wouldn’t want a Judge to see. After all, do you really want to air your dirty laundry on Facebook?
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