Think before you click……………….there’s many a slip to be made.

The increasing use of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even popular professional networking sites like LinkedIn are increasingly changing the way family law matters are conducted.

Social media makes it possible to keep in touch easily and quickly with family and friends in an instant. This ease of communicating also means that it is easier for others to track your personal and private information, particularly in court proceedings.

The use of social media as evidence in family law proceedings is increasing, particularly in children’s matters.

No one involved in a contentious family law matter wants sensitive matters (particularly in court proceedings about who should care for children) aired on social media to be brought up in court. Issues can arise which show that a person who was supposed to be looking after a child was, in fact, doing something quite unrelated to the care of that child. The impact on the outcome of proceedings should not be underestimated.

If your former partner has a tendency to indiscriminately post information online then this may benefit your case but what is important to remember, is that the same risk applies to anything which you post. It is not unusual too for lawyers and others to monitor your activities online.

Skype and other technologies are a good way for separated couples or divorced parents to keep in touch with their children. Using other forms of social media to express your wishes or support for parenting arrangements for your children could be a serious detriment to your case.

Making adverse comment about or denigrating your spouse or partner online is simply not a good idea and might tend to say more to the court about you rather than your partner. This evidence can be used in court to demonstrate the absence of a co-operative parenting relationship and an unwillingness to promote a meaningful relationship between the children and both parents.

So the lesson to be learned from all of this is simple ‘ Think before you type – think before you post it’.

Don’t go online if you have had a few drinks or you are not in the right frame of mind. Remember, a screen shot of your post takes less time than it took you to post something.

It only takes an instant to click and post but will the judge in your case really understand or just take your post as read.

If in doubt – don’t post it.