1. Don’t post anything online, that you would not be happy being read by a judge or your ex-partner. A post may be private, but could be re-posted by a user who makes it public. It is also very likely that although you are not “friends” or “following” your former partner, you will have mutual friends who are. It is understandable that people might feel the urge to vent in the heat of the moment, however this can have unintended consequences for those in the middle of a divorce or other family law proceedings.
2. If you’re a parent, be careful if you post about enjoying a night with friends, possibly with a few drinks being consumed, as this could be misinterpreted in contested proceedings about the children to suggest over reliance on alcohol or irresponsible parenting.
3. Avoid posting about a holiday or weekend away or a post on LinkedIn about a new job whilst claiming that you don’t have much money, as this may well be used as evidence against you in financial proceedings.
4. Don’t post about your children or include photos of them as parents can have different views about how appropriate this is, which can lead to welfare issues being raised particularly if parents are separating or going through a divorce.
5. Don’t write derogatory comments about your ex or update your relationship status to single – not only could it be used against you, but it will make the proceedings more acrimonious, a dispute which should be a private family matter public and make it less easy to reach a mutually agreed settlement. It is also possible that the children could read these posts leading to accusations of parental alienation.
