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The perils of social media are too real when you file for divorce

On Behalf of | Mar 19, 2014 | Child Custody |

Imagine that you are in the middle of a divorce. In an attempt to relax and have some fun for the first time in many weeks, you and your friends organize a dinner party. Your son is staying with you that night, but he’s 17 years old, so he can take care of himself for one evening. He’s about to go to college, so you trust him and you’re on your way.

The dinner party goes well and there are no indications that something has gone wrong at home. In fact, when you get home, everything is as it should be. Your son went to bed and the house is clean. You smile in satisfaction and prepare for bed.

The next day, you are contacted by your soon-to-be-ex-spouse asking about an incriminating photo your son was in. Apparently one of your son’s friends took a picture with his cell phone of him drinking a beer, and then posted the photo on Facebook. Your spouse, infuriated by what happened, is taking serious measures to wrestle custody away from you when your divorce gets to court. And you know what? That photo may be enough to sway a judge’s opinion of your “parenting skills.”

It’s a brutal example of what divorce has come to in today’s day and age, but this is not a far-fetched scenario. Child custody, alimony, property division — many issues involved in many divorces can be affected by the contents of your Facebook profile, or even the profiles of other people you know or are related to.

Source: Huffington Post, “The Divorce Mistakes You Don’t Even Know You’re Making,” Taryn Hillin, March 18, 2014

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