Social Media Further Complicates Divorce, Alimony and Child Support

As if everything that becomes part of a divorce proceeding is not complicated enough, new trends in social media seem to complicate many aspects of a divorce such as calculations for alimony and/or child support. At an ever increasing velocity, people from virtually every age demographic are beginning to embrace the various forms of social media to connect with each other and share moments of their lives. There is no doubting that the pervasive use of social media has drastically impacted society and the lives of all of those who make use of social media hubs such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Although many people would be quick to note that these social media forums have positively impacted their lives, it is very important to acknowledge the very real and very negative impact they could have during divorce proceedings. In a divorce, during the equitable distribution phase, the value of marital assets becomes a critical aspect when the parties are negotiating a divide of the marital estate. Social media activity can indirectly or directly provide the opposing party and thus the court with a chronicle of a party's financial health and activity. For instance, if a party has been posting pictures of the vacations they have been going on or the new car they just bought, they are providing their adversary with information that may profoundly affect their legal strategies. Further, similar activity across social media websites could make it very difficult for a party to claim financial hardships - which impact the amount of alimony and/or child support that he or she may end up being obligated to contribute. In addition, even information that one party may post on an internet dating service website could be used to prove salary range or career moves. The takeaway from this discussion should be that any person who is currently engaged in a divorce or who is contemplating that they will be divorcing in the future should pay particular attention to his or her social media identity. Anything and everything that he or she posts can and may be used as evidence in many of the normal aspects of a New Jersey divorce proceeding. If you or someone you know is considering filing for a divorce in New Jersey you or they should seek out the advice of an experienced attorney to help prepare and guide you through the divorce process. For more information about divorce, equitable distribution, alimony, child support or other family law matters in New Jersey visit HeatherDarlingLawyer.com and NJCivilUnionLaw.com. This blog is for informational purposes and in no way intended to replace the advice of an attorney.