Tennessee residents going through a divorce may feel it is an appropriate time to update their social media network regarding the status of their relationship. However, rushing to change “married” to “single” could cause otherwise preventable complications.
Seemingly innocent comments posted online could stir up a confrontation with a soon-to-be ex-spouse. It could also affect the way the divorce proceedings turn out.
Sharing too much online and its potential consequences
Many couples have a circle of friends, relatives and other associates who view and discuss content posted on their social media profiles. Sharing legal information such as the contents of a court document may result in a breach of privacy and complicate a divorce procedure.
A spouse could become resentful or negative towards the divorce because of some comments discovered on social media. He or she may then become uncooperative and obstruct important discussions required for dividing property or arranging child custody. It could also affect the issue of financial support.
Using photos and contents as evidence
Anyone can download pictures, videos and status updates from the internet. A divorcing spouse may use such information as evidence to convince the court to award a settlement more favorable to his or her own needs.
Taking a break from social media while dissolving a marriage may lead to more satisfactory results. As reported by Prevention magazine, 81% of the divorce lawyers surveyed said they saw a higher volume of clients using social media content as evidence against their spouse.
Although it may seem harmless to share pictures from a singles’ party after separating, compromising images could help a spouse win full custody of children. If an individual hopes to prevent an ex-spouse from obtaining generous visitation rights, images of partying and drinking may not help his or her cause.
Requesting financial support based on online evidence
When requesting child and spousal support, an ex-spouse’s income may determine the amount and frequency of a payment schedule. Social media content that conflicts with an individual’s stated income level may become damaging evidence. It could enable an ex-spouse to request a modification order to change the amount of financial support.
