Prosper, TX Divorce Lawyer for Social Media Concerns

Texas Family Law Attorney Helping Clients Understand the Impact of Social Media on Divorce in Collin County

Social media is almost unavoidable in today's world, with sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok having become a regular part of life for millions of people in Texas and throughout the U.S. Though social media platforms have their benefits, including the ability to connect with friends, family, and the wider world, they also have major downsides, including a decline in privacy. During the divorce process, the personal information available on social media can have significant ramifications.

At Pfister Family Law, we have seen the many ways that social media activity can complicate the divorce process, and we strive to educate our clients on the ways that social media may both help and hurt their cases. With multiple decades of legal experience, we know how to use social media evidence to your advantage in divorce litigation, and we also know how to defend you against allegations brought by your spouse with the support of social media evidence.

Social Media Can Contribute to Divorce Conflict

A divorce can be a contentious situation to begin with, and social media can make it even more so. You may be tempted to vent your frustrations with your spouse in a social media post, but if your spouse somehow sees what you have said, it can destroy any willingness to negotiate an amicable divorce settlement, and you may be in for a long and difficult contested litigation process.

In some cases, social media activity can even provide evidence to support a petition for divorce on fault-based grounds. For example, photos posted on social media could provide evidence that a spouse has engaged in an extramarital affair and committed adultery. Public or private messages of a harassing or abusive nature from one spouse to the other could support a divorce on the grounds of cruelty. When a fault-based divorce is granted in favor of one spouse, the other spouse could suffer significant consequences in the divorce resolution.

Social Media and Property Division

Social media evidence can also have a tangible impact on the division of marital assets in a Texas divorce. Texas law requires spouses to disclose comprehensive financial information to each other early in the divorce process, but in some cases, a spouse will attempt to conceal information regarding wasted or hidden assets. While social media evidence on its own may be insufficient to demonstrate that a spouse has committed fraud on the marital estate or been dishonest about their finances, it can expose questionable behavior or corroborate other forms of evidence. For example, a spouse's boasting about an expensive purchase or vacation on social media may be a sign that they have stolen marital assets for themselves or that they have access to assets that they have not reported.

Social Media and Child Custody

When divorcing parents are fighting over child custody, they may look to all available sources of evidence that the other parent lacks responsibility in caring for their children, including evidence available on social media. Photos, videos, and other social media posts could indicate that a parent is engaging in a pattern of behavior that is contrary to the children's interests or that could put them at risk of harm. For example, a parent may be seen frequently abusing alcohol, using illegal drugs, or associating with dangerous people. This evidence can be particularly harmful if the posts correspond with days and times when the parent was supposed to be responsible for the children.

Contact a Prosper, TX Divorce Attorney

If you have found evidence of your spouse's behavior on social media that you believe is relevant to your divorce case, or if you are concerned that your spouse may use your social media activity against you, we can help you determine how to proceed. For your initial, confidential consultation, contact our office today by calling 972-954-6455. We serve clients throughout North Texas, including Denton County, Dallas County, Collin County, Tarrant County, Hunt County, Sherman County, Rockwall County, Frisco, Plano, Denton, Dallas, Prosper, Little Elm, McKinney, The Colony, and the surrounding areas.