What you post on Facebook or other social media sites can come back to haunt you in a divorce or child custody proceeding. Before you post, think of how it would look if introduced as evidence in court.
It’s common for the other side in a divorce, parenting time and child support dispute to obtain Facebook and other social media posts as a part of the discovery process. Even deleted posts may be recovered and introduced into evidence. In some cases, that evidence may not help your case.
Here are just a few examples of social media posts that can backfire:
- A post disparaging your ex would not help your cause in a child custody dispute.
- If you are seeking more parenting time with your children, a picture of you doing something other than spending time with your children on a night you had custody would not look good.
- A picture of drug or excessive alcohol consumption could make you appear as an unfit parent
- A picture of you with a new boat or other purchase could lead the other side to think you may have income or assets that you failed to disclose
- Pictures of you on a trip or date with someone other than your spouse could lead to an accusation that you wasted marital assets
The things you post on social media sites may be construed to mean things that you never intended. Even if you can explain the post or picture, it may cost you time and dollars to counter the arguments of the other side in court.