Whether going through a divorce or civil lawsuit, beware of the posts that you create on media sites like Facebook and Twitter. While airing comments for your friends and family, and whatever strangers are on your site or following your tweets, you are creating a permanent record that can easily haunt you in the courtroom.

In divorces, feelings are hurt, and many turn to social networking sites to vent; however, posts and tweets can give attorneys a treasure trove of information that could affect the divorce. For instance, off-handed remarks about your soon-to-be ex, talking about that new person in your life, or photos of you cutting loose at the bar can be used to craft an untrue narrative in court and affect your case.

Likewise, those innocuous tweets or posts on Facebook can severely affect your personal injury claim. We have seen cases where the defendant adamantly denied any liability but found admissions of liability on Facebook. We have also seen issues arise from posts and pictures on Facebook and other networking sites that have adversely affected injury claims.

Finally, tweets and posts can and often are taken out of context. We have seen lives changed by simply forwarding a post or an ill-advised tweet that may have been alcohol-induced. The internet lives forever, and these tweets and posts often survive even after being deleted.

We are not advocating abandoning these websites as they have become an important tool to keep in contact in an increasingly fast-paced world. However, we ask that you think before you post because once a post is made, it will remain out there forever, even if later deleted by the poster.

Feel free to contact us  if you would like to discuss the specifics of your family law or personal injury case.