How Social Media May Harm a Custody Case

To avoid losing primary custody because of an off-color comment or photo, seek advice from a Dallas child custody attorney. Adding another layer of evidence for child custody disputes, information gleaned from social networking sites – like Facebook and Twitter – may be used by family law courts.

It might be difficult to believe that a comment or photo could potentially wreck your child custody case. Yet, there are plenty of real-life examples of parents who exhibited poor judgment and suffered the consequences in family law court.

• A woman posted before-and-after photos of her son on Facebook, alleging that the father was abusive. The court granted custody to the father, claiming the mother suffers from a delusional disorder. It’s unclear what the photos showed.
• A mother used Facebook and her blog to write negative and derogatory posts about the father. Child custody was subsequently awarded to the father.
• In an attempt to collect evidence, one father concealed his identity online and presented himself to the mother as a prospective suitor. He requested explicit photos and videos of the mother; she obliged and it came to light that the explicit videos were filmed by the couple’s 8-year-old daughter. The young girl was removed from either parent’s custody. Both parents received visitation rights.
• One judge ordered both parents to exchange Facebook passwords, giving each side the equal opportunity to see what the other had been doing online. When the mother attempted to delete some posts, the judge made an injunction that neither parent may alter information on his or her accounts.

Help from a Dallas Child Custody Attorney

The legal implications of using social networking websites can be detrimental to your child custody or divorce case. At Warren & Migliaccio Attorneys at Law, we can help fully prepare you for your child custody dispute and ensure these types of mistakes are avoided. Serving Dallas County since 2006, we will walk you through the family court process and ensure your parental rights are protected. Call us today at 1-888-584-9614 to schedule a consultation.