People who are placed under a great deal of stress will react in unusual and unpredictable ways. Divorce has been likened to death in regard to the impact that it can have on a spouse. In some cases, Florida residents who are faced with divorce will make choices that will have a negative impact on their divorce, sometimes without even realizing how their actions factor into the overall process.
A prime example is found in the use of social media. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other tools give individuals the power to share their thoughts and opinions in a far more powerful manner than in decades past. While this is a good thing in some regards, it can be dangerous during a divorce. Far too many people take to social media to air their grievances against the family court judge assigned to their case, or to vent about the legal process in general.
This is never a good decision. There is no reason to believe that one’s rants will not reach the eyes and ears of the court. Not only do judges and other court officers monitor social media sites, but the opposing counsel will definitely do so. When a spouse posts a lengthy tirade about the case online, the attorney for the other spouse will be all too happy to make sure that the court is aware of the content.
It is important to understand that attorneys and judges are individuals, and have opinions that exist outside of their professional roles. Posting inflammatory content that only serves to irritate or anger the people who will have an impact on a divorce case is never a good idea. Doing so may feel good in the moment that the comments are made, but the ramifications can be far from pleasant.
For those in Florida who are unable to cut ties with social media during their divorce case, it may be helpful to implement a set of tools to avoid a negative outcome. One approach might be to write one’s comments in a document rather than directly on social media. This allows a person the chance to cool down, reflect on what is being said and make edits as needed. Having this degree of separation can go a long way toward keeping one’s opinions from being used in a negative way within a divorce case.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Social Media and Divorce: Why You Should Put the Keyboard Down and Log Out“, Ashley Tate Cooper, Dec. 7, 2015
