Pennsylvanians: What to know about the ‘Facebook divorce’

Let’s face it. We’re in the “Facebook divorce” era.

Yes, that’s a real term. It refers to the number of marriages that have broken up because of information that spouses have seen about their partner on social media sites.

Social media is fun for Pennsylvanians when it comes to seeing photos of a friend’s baby or sharing news with family. But social media posts can lead to family crises and also give fodder to a spouse come divorce or child custody time.

Divorce lawyers will turn to social media to try to find ammunition for divorce cases. There are no laws banning the use of information gleaned from social media in court. And remember that even if you’ve deleted your post, it still exists somewhere out there for forensic experts to find.

So just what can be found on Facebook and other social media sites that can be held against you in a divorce? These – and more:

• Posts that show purchases, such as a new car, a designer handbag or a really expensive set of golf clubs, that contradict your claims of unemployment or financial stress.
• A photo posted by a friend that shows you drinking at a party or on a raunchy weekend getaway when you say working overtime means you can’t see the kids. Or maybe that same friend will post a photo of you snuggling with a person who isn’t your spouse.
• Posts that suggest you are single or a change of marital status on Facebook. That can show your intentions to leave the marriage or commit adultery.

If you are divorcing, the attorneys at [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″] are able to provide you with advice about just how to use social media. Until you have that first meeting, you might want to be safe and stay away from Facebook, Twitter and other sites.

If you would like to discuss your situation Hubert X. Gilroy was a Cumberland County Custody Conciliator for over 20 years. His extensive experience with all types of divorces will allow him to provide unique insight to the entire process. Call Hubert at [nap_phone id=”LOCAL-CT-NUMBER-4″].