chloe
07-09-2009, 08:22 AM
Getting a divorce? Be careful what you post online
July 8th, 2009 @ 2:41pm
By Andrew Adams
SALT LAKE CITY - Are you thinking about a divorce? Or are you in the middle of one? Be extra careful about what you post on social networking websites.
Divorce lawyers say things posted online can make their jobs very easy, or very hard if you've got the wrong client. Harry Caston, of the firm Skordas, Caston and Hyde, chuckles.
"It makes it very easy when you can demonstrate that a person isn't telling the truth," Caston says. "And quite frankly, it is interesting when a person is shown this proof in court and they realize that, perhaps, the game is up for them."
Caston has seen it happen-- people go to court claiming they can't pay child support and then out come the pictures of their trips to Mexico, or their lavish stops in Vegas.
"The judge sees that they are taking fancy vacations or spending money -- in two occasions judges have imposed jail sentences," Caston says. "So, I would call that very serious."
Lawyers advise their clients to be extremely cautious online. In fact, Caston tells people not to do it.
"I tell my clients to make the assumptions that anything, and everything, you put on the internet -- whether it's an e-mail to someone else, or whether it's a social networking site -- assume that it's going to be found out," Caston says.
Caston even warns people that Facebook is not safe, even with privacy settings that allow you to accept friend requests. It's possible a random add could be a private investigator. Caston says if that private investigator learns details that way, a trial judge will probably accept it.
"Because it's really not private," Caston says.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=172&sid=7089462
July 8th, 2009 @ 2:41pm
By Andrew Adams
SALT LAKE CITY - Are you thinking about a divorce? Or are you in the middle of one? Be extra careful about what you post on social networking websites.
Divorce lawyers say things posted online can make their jobs very easy, or very hard if you've got the wrong client. Harry Caston, of the firm Skordas, Caston and Hyde, chuckles.
"It makes it very easy when you can demonstrate that a person isn't telling the truth," Caston says. "And quite frankly, it is interesting when a person is shown this proof in court and they realize that, perhaps, the game is up for them."
Caston has seen it happen-- people go to court claiming they can't pay child support and then out come the pictures of their trips to Mexico, or their lavish stops in Vegas.
"The judge sees that they are taking fancy vacations or spending money -- in two occasions judges have imposed jail sentences," Caston says. "So, I would call that very serious."
Lawyers advise their clients to be extremely cautious online. In fact, Caston tells people not to do it.
"I tell my clients to make the assumptions that anything, and everything, you put on the internet -- whether it's an e-mail to someone else, or whether it's a social networking site -- assume that it's going to be found out," Caston says.
Caston even warns people that Facebook is not safe, even with privacy settings that allow you to accept friend requests. It's possible a random add could be a private investigator. Caston says if that private investigator learns details that way, a trial judge will probably accept it.
"Because it's really not private," Caston says.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=172&sid=7089462