For a lot of people, posting photos or status updates on social and sharing celebrations and achievements have become the norm. But if you are fighting custody of your children in Birmingham, you need to be mindful of what you post on social media. You should know that your presence online may be heavily scrutinized while your case is ongoing. Whenever you have questionable activities, photos, or posts, this could impact your case’s outcome.
Exercising discretion on what you post online can help keep the safety of your children. Also, this protects from litigation. A family law attorney Birmingham can educate you about the impact of your social media presence on your child custody case and help you take control of the situation. To ensure your child custody case will have the best outcome, here are tips you can follow:
Do Not Use Social Media
While your custody case is ongoing, it is best to stop being on social media. This can get rid of potential severe repercussions like the impact of social media use on familial relationships. Custody cases should not be taken lightly.
Do Not Delete Old Posts
Removing some social media posts occasionally may be good. But if you have a pending custody case, speak with your lawyer before you delete anything. A lot of states have rules regarding deleting information related to custody litigation or cannot be viewed as evidence. When you delete a post that is considered evidence, this could have serious ramifications like fines.
Maintain Privacy
If you’re going through a divorce, do not post or discuss the custody case of your child on social media. The majority of family law judges look down upon people who publicize such cases online. Also, this can have personal consequences.
Limit Your Presence Online
If you cannot stay away from social media, just limit your presence there and keep your profile private. The lawyers of the other parent can use your social media posts in litigation. No matter how harmless a post may be, it can damage your custody case when misinterpreted.
Do Not Badmouth Your Ex
If you have an ongoing custody case in Birmingham, do not say anything bad about your child’s other parent, online or offline. This includes cryptic quotes, memes, song lyrics, and even harmless jokes. Remember that the best interest of the child is the main concern in your custody case. The judge will take into account any evidence to determine both parents’ willingness to foster a positive parent-child relationship. Also, badmouthing the other parent can be detrimental to the relationship of your child with both of their parents.
Agree with the Other Parent About Social Media Use
Speak with your soon-to-be ex about posting photos of your kids, family issues, and activities with the kids on social media. You want to be on the same page when it comes to this matter. Try to reach an agreement with them, so you do not complicate the custody proceedings.
Do Not Incriminate Yourself
Fighting for custody of your children is emotionally, mentally, and financially challenging. Allegations of alcoholism can be used against one spouse as a litigation technique. Do not post photos of yourself consuming alcohol, in the presence of controlled substances, or partying because this can significantly affect the outcome of your case. In addition, you should not post anything about you dating someone or having dinner with someone during your divorce. This can be taken out of context and used against you and your custody case. Even a simple dinner with a friend can be questioned when you’re supposed to be with your kids. The judge will not be impressed with this.
