Family Law

How to Protect Your Social Media Sites During Family Court Litigation

By J. Benjamin Stevens

If you use social media and are involved in an active Family Court case (or think that you might be in the future), consider the following tips and suggestions to protect yourself (and your case):

• Remember that information posted on your social media sites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.) is very likely to be used as evidence in a divorce case.
• Review your social media sites with your attorney to anticipate any problems arising from the material posted there.
• Change all of your passwords to prevent a spouse or family member from creating a false profile or modifying information on the social site.
• Consider whether it is best to discontinue all activity on these sites until the conclusion of your litigation.
• If you decide to continue using social media anyway, then consider the following:
  • Do not view social media sites as a means of obtaining emotional support.
  • Do not vent and/or make disparaging statements about your spouse.
  • Do not post anything that you would not want a Family Court judge or your children to see.

Source: "Using Social Network Evidence in Family Court" by Mary Kay Kisthardt and Barbara Handschu, published at Law Technology News from Law.com.

Full post as published by SC Family Law Blog on October 07, 2010 (boomark / email).