Social media is more than just a pastime; it frequently appears in divorce cases and can greatly influence their outcome. If you are facing a divorce, be careful about what you post online. Your spouse’s online activity could also support your position. Our experienced Michigan divorce attorneys at The Smith Law Offices, P.C. are ready to assist you.
Why Your Online Activity Matters
Your social media history reflects your offline life. It can reveal information about you that may help or hurt you in your divorce, and the same applies to your spouse.
Even if your online activity is clean, always watch what you post. It is best to stay off social media during your case. Saying nothing prevents your words from being used against you.
How Social Media Can Haunt Your Case
Social media can directly affect your Michigan divorce case in several ways.
Illustrating a Reckless Lifestyle
If either spouse posts in a way that highlights their reckless lifestyle, it can negatively affect their child custody arrangements. Posts that depict any of the following can do the trick:
- Partying or drinking excessively
- Using illegal drugs or taking prescription medications recreationally
- Failing to pay adequate attention or provide proper care to the children
- Badmouthing the other parent, which speaks to a refusal to co-parent effectively
Ultimately, Michigan courts are guided by the best interests of the child, and none of these align with this metric.
Flaunting Reckless Spending
Michigan is an equitable distribution state, meaning marital property must be divided fairly between divorcing spouses, rather than necessarily equally. In order to determine what’s fair, Michigan courts take a wide range of factors into careful consideration, and any one of the following themes on either spouse’s social media could negatively affect their property division:
- Displays of reckless spending
- Showing off a lavish lifestyle, such as luxury vacations
- Hinting at any form of fraud involving marital property, such as spending down or gifting marital assets
Such posts can directly undermine claims of financial hardship.
Signs of Adultery
Posting about a new romantic partner while married can increase the likelihood that the other spouse will be awarded alimony in a divorce.
Our Experienced Westland Divorce Lawyers Are on Your Side
Our capable Westland divorce attorneys at The Smith Law Offices are well acquainted with the powerful effects that social media can have on a divorce, and we’re well prepared to strategize the surest path forward in your unique case. Learn more by contacting us online or by calling 734-729-4465 today.
