Divorce Via Facebook?

We live in an age where social media seems to be invading every aspect of our daily lives, therefore is it possible that social media sites such as Facebook can become a medium through which people can serve divorce documents? According to a recent ruling from Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Matthew Cooper perhaps divorce law may begin to work through social media, after all. Ellanora Baidoo and Victor Sena Blood-Dzraku were Ghanian and were married in a civil ceremony in 2009. Blood-Dzraku failed to honor his promise to follow up the civil ceremony with a traditional Ghanian wedding and therefore according to custom, this meant that the wedding was never consummated. Further, they never actually lived together despite being legally married. Shortly after their civil ceremony, Blood-Dzraku disappeared and Baidoo had no idea where he was. Initially, Baidoo hired a private investigator and submitted queries to the DMV in attempts to locate him, but in vain. Every once and a while Blood-Dzraku would send messages to Baidoo using Facebook. Baidoo soon realized that she wanted a divorce, but the only address that she had for him was for an apartment that he had moved out of in 2011 and therefore she could not properly serve him with the divorce papers. In a potential legal game changer, Judge Cooper in Manhattan allowed Baidoo to notify Blood-Dzraku of their impending divorce once a week for three (3) weeks using Facebook. According to the judge's ruling, if he did not respond within that time, the divorce would be processed without him. This ruling may have potential implications for people who want to obtain divorces but whose spouses are unable or unwilling to participate in a divorce because they cannot be properly personally served with the required documents. Although this ruling is presently restricted to New York, the prevalence and ubiquity of social media is felt throughout the entire country and there is no doubt that the option may gain favor in New Jersey and in many of the other states. Choosing to seek a divorce can be one of the most emotional and difficult decisions that a person can make in their lifetime. If you feel that it may be beneficial to you to obtain divorce it is critical that you seek out the advice of an experienced attorney before moving forward. For more information about divorce, uncontested divorce, equitable distribution, child custody, non dissolution cases, or other family law matters in New Jersey visit HeatherDarlingLawyer.com. This blog is for informational purposes and in no way is intended to replace the advice of an attorney.