North Carolina residents who are considering a divorce might want to stop using social media and be careful with their email and text messages. It may be best to avoid deleting social media accounts altogether since this could be considered destruction of evidence, and it is important to understand that subpoenas can be issued for email and text messages. People should not write anything they do not want to see brought up in court.
One attorney discovered that a client’s spouse did not disclose a side business that was revealed in a search on LinkedIn, and this resulted in the client receiving more in child support. In another case, a man who posted online about vacations and a job but claimed he was unemployed was denied alimony.
Even a blocked spouse might see revealing posts from a mutual friend. Careless social media posts might also put a person’s access to their child in jeopardy if the person appears to be neglecting custodial duties. Creating a dating profile could suggest that a person is cheating or reveal unintended information as well.
Even if a divorce is fairly amicable, being discreet on social media might be the best approach throughout the process. Because of the emotional toll of divorce, people do not always make good decisions. Family law attorneys can often assist their clients in making choices that will help protect their financial security. For example, people might want the divorce over with quickly and be inclined to agree to give up their share of a home or retirement account. On the other hand, a person may be angry and tend to obstruct the progress of the divorce.