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Getting divorced is inherently stressful. During such a tumultuous time, it’s natural to turn to your social media friends and followers for support. Unfortunately, doing so could end up hurting your case significantly and even impact the final settlement. For this reason, family law attorneys typically advise clients to stay off of social media until the divorce has been finalized. Here are just a few facts to keep in mind regarding an online presence if you're thinking about ending your marriage. 

Privacy Settings Are Not Foolproof

When it comes to divorce proceedings, there is a lot at stake. Since there is no way to predict how the opposing party will interpret anything you post, it’s best to limit social media use for as long as the case is pending. Otherwise, your ex’s legal team might gather personal photos, videos, and statuses to use against you when negotiating for a settlement in their favor.

family lawAlthough there is no guaranteed way to contain something once it’s online, you can make it harder for your ex to access such posts. For example, you can change all of your passwords, update each account’s privacy settings, and avoid accepting requests from people you do not know. Even after taking such steps, though, it’s essential to scrutinize every post before publishing it. 

Deleting Profiles Could Work Against You

It may be tempting to delete your social media accounts altogether before filing for divorce. While this will certainly eliminate a considerable amount of hassle, it could end up causing more trouble than it’s worth. Depending on the circumstances, deleting social media profiles could be considered the destruction of evidence. For this reason, family law attorneys advise clients to deactivate their accounts without actually deleting them. 

 

If you want to end a marriage in Wisconsin, turn to Arndt Buswell & Thorn SC. Based in Sparta, this family law practice has been protecting clients’ rights for more than 25 years. As a full-service firm, they also assist with estate planning, personal injury suits, business litigation, employment disputes, criminal defense, landlord and tenant disputes, and bankruptcy. To get in touch with a family law attorney on their team, call (608) 269-1200 or fill out the contact form on their website

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