Never before has divorce been such a public affair. Gone are the days when the phrase “behind closed doors” had any significant meaning. We’ve become a more open society and more willing to share the more difficult aspects of our lives. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it could cause more than a few complications in a divorce in Long Island. Here are a few modern realities about what to do – and what not to do.
Nothing to Like or Follow Here
Ah, Facebook – where everyone knows your name and if you’re not careful, where everyone knows the less than perfect aspects of a marriage that is no longer good. Embarrassment factor aside, it could come back to haunt you in the courtroom. It’s better to take the high road and not volunteer information to your Facebook friends. You never know who’s watching and capturing screen shots of your posts. Divorce isn’t easy and while it’s human nature to reach out for someone one to confide in, you don’t want to confide to the world.
- Avoid trash talking your spouse. Even if won’t get you in trouble in the divorce hearings, it’s just better to take the high road.
- Avoid uploading compromising photos. Anything that could incriminate you, even if it’s innocent, should not be tweeted or posted on your Facebook wall. That holds true if you’ve accused your spouse of stealing your grandmother’s ring, only to have it show up in the Facebook picture of your family reunion being worn by your sister. You’ll lose credibility with the court and nothing good can ever come from that.
- And speaking of tweeting, avoid the temptation of composing an epic 140 character rundown of why your spouse is a has-been. You might get a lot of retweets, but if it ends up costing you in the divorce, it matters little how many retweets your clever efforts brought.
Also, keep in mind that whatever you put out there, stays there. You can delete all you want, but you never know if your kids are catching every digital insult you toss back and forth with your spouse. Not only that, but odds are, you’ll likely regret putting it out there anyway, especially if it prompts a lot of attention that includes others joining in with their comments.
Posting intimate details about your marriage in the social media realm is bad; however, if there has been a lot of “he said, she said” in your divorce proceedings. Consider having your divorce lawyer be your voice if there’s a lot of animosity between you and your spouse.
It comes down to perspective and deciding what matters most. The uglier divorces become, the more they cost both parties from a financial and emotional stance.
If you are facing a divorce in Long Island, we invite you to contact our office today to schedule a free consultation. Once you know what you’re up against, the better your choices will be from who should have custody of the children to how your assets will be divided.
