As more and more people turn to social media to document their lives, it’s no surprise that these platforms are playing an increasingly important role in divorce proceedings in Maryland. In fact, according to a recent study, one in three divorces in the United States is now caused by social media-related disagreements.
Social media and divorce proceedings
The first thing that you should understand is that anything that you post on social media can and will be used against you in your divorce proceeding. This includes posts about your ex, your children, finances, and even your relationships with other people. If there is anything negative that your ex could use to paint a picture of you as an unfit spouse, the court might use it when deciding on your case.
Impact on child support and custody
Social media can also have an impact on child support and custody arrangements. If you post photos of yourself partying or drinking irresponsibly or even pictures of your new partner before or during your divorce, the other spouse could argue that you are not a fit parent.
Impact on alimony and property division
The court can also use your posts to verify how much you say you’re worth. For example, if you have photos of expensive gifts or vacations, your spouse’s lawyer could argue that you have more money than you are claiming.
Moreover, your spouse can use your extravagant posts to show how you were wasting your marital property. With Maryland being an equitable distribution state, the court might give your spouse a more significant share of your marital assets or award them more alimony than what they’d have gotten without your posts.
If you suspect that your marriage is headed towards an inevitable end, avoid social media if you can. If you absolutely must use social media, be sure to set strict privacy settings so that only people who you know and trust can interact with your account and avoid comments or posts that could blow back on you. Don’t delete them either because you might need your account once you’ve finalized your divorce.
