Facebook And Social Media Indiscretions In Divorce

Rebecca Gumaer cautions divorcing and separating individuals to limit and highly regulate their use of social media. Increasingly, Facebook, Twitter and personal blogs are submitted as evidence of poor conduct in divorce proceedings. As a social-media-savvy attorney practicing family law, Ms. Gumaer has firsthand understanding of how social media and divorce interact.

It has become clear that any negative comments and images can harm the divorce proceedings. For instance, negative comments about your former spouse may affect custody arrangements. Substance abuse images may cause the court to question your fitness as a parent. Dating or living with a new partner within six or nine months of separation or divorce can be harmful to children and demonstrate to the court that you are an unfit parent.

Protecting Yourself

These are many instances where parents would be better advised to limit their presence on social media during divorce proceedings. However, there are some instances where social media sites provide invaluable information about your former spouse.

There are many cases where divorcing partners fail to reveal their true financial condition only to be caught in a lie by social media updates or posts. While Front Range Family Law cautions clients to censor social media posts, we also urge our clients to explore their spouse’s social media sites as a potential source of research.

Social Media And Evidence

What you put out on the internet matters, and you should be aware that any post or tweet you make may end up before the judge.

At the Jefferson County family law office of Rebecca Gumaer, we counsel clients to avoid discussing their divorce or their children online. Emails, text messages, Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools can all be subpoenaed and submitted as evidence in family courts.

Images are especially dangerous on social media sites because they can convey negative information in powerful ways. A single image of a parent sitting in a smoke-filled bar surrounded by beer bottles during parenting time or with a scantily clad new romantic partner can destroy credibility and affect custody awards.

Social media is what you make of it, and we urge clients to increase their privacy settings; omit discussion about their spouse, the divorce and their children; and conduct research if they feel their spouse is not entirely forthcoming with the family law courts.

Talk With A Lawyer From Front Range Family Law

For more information on how to proceed with a contentious divorce and the role of social media in a divorce, please contact family law attorney Rebecca Gumaer at 303-416-8505 or through email. Our convenient office in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, serves clients throughout the Denver Highlands.