Many people in Georgia enjoy social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. However, spouses should understand that these online entities have proven to be a fertile source of evidence in divorce cases. For the most part, content placed on social media is available to everyone in the world. When disputes arise between divorcing spouses about child custody, assets, income or character, courts could accept evidence collected legally from social media platforms.
Pictures or written statements posted online could support goals like contradicting someone’s oral testimony, revealing infidelity or identifying hidden assets that might influence court decisions about alimony or child support. With most people engaging in online activity, social media posts have become a common form of evidence in divorce negotiations and litigation. According to a service that collects information from social media accounts, 81 percent of attorneys find evidence in social media accounts that gets used in court. Facebook provides two-thirds of the evidence derived from social media for divorce cases.
One research study even linked the use of social media to struggling relationships and thoughts of divorce. Online networking also enables many of the affairs that trigger divorce filings.
A spouse going through a divorce might gain insights about numerous legal details by talking to an attorney. In addition to relaying advice about how to manage social media activity going forward, an attorney could explain rights concerning access to children and property division. Legal representation could even help someone receive a full disclosure of assets from the former spouse so that a fair divorce settlement might be negotiated.