Using social media during a family law matter
If you are like many Texas residents, you are active on social media. However, if you are currently involved in a divorce or another family law matter, you might want to limit your usage for a while.
As we discussed in an article on our website, evidence that is gathered on social media could be used against you in your case.
Here are a few examples of social media posts that can hurt you:
A friend posts something inappropriate on your wall or tags you in an inappropriate photo. Even if your friend only meant the post or photo as a joke, it can easily be misconstrued by the court and give the judge the wrong impression of you.
You post something bad about your ex while you are angry or upset. One of the main things judges look for in custody matters is both parties’ willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent. Saying nasty things about your ex online can suggest to the judge that you are not behaving in your children’s best interests.
Your social media posts contradict what you are saying in court. If you tell the court that you don’t have enough money to pay child support and then post photos of your exotic vacation online, then you are not going to appear very credible.
You made poor decisions in your past that are documented online. Make sure that your social media accounts don’t paint you in a bad light with photos of excessive partying, drug use or other questionable activities. Even if the posts are several years old, they can still make you look bad.
Ultimately, it would be best to consider taking a break from social media altogether while going through a family law matter, but if that’s not possible, consider taking these steps:
- Do a social media “clean up,” making sure all of your online accounts paint you in a favorable light.
- Imagine the judge on your case seeing anything you are about to post, then decide if you should post it.
- Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know who could be spying on you.
- Change your Facebook settings so that your friends cannot tag pictures of you or post on your wall.
- Don’t use social media to vent about your family law case, it’s not the right place.
