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Facebook may be set to change the face of divorce

On Behalf of | Apr 16, 2015 | Divorce |

A landmark case in another state saw a Supreme Court judge rule in favor of a woman who wanted to use the popular social media platform Facebook to serve her estranged husband with divorce papers. While this decision has yet to be repeated in Connecticut, the mere fact that a discussion is now happening about how social media will affect divorce moving forward is worthy of note. However, there are several roadblocks in the way of widespread implementation of actions of this type.

Most notably, digital communication of any kind, when it comes to legal documents like divorce papers, is not always viewed credibly by state officials. In some states, even faxing papers of this type is forbidden, suggesting that a Facebook summons would not even be in the realm of feasibility. Furthermore, the influence of social media on marriages and divorces is still being measured. 

Some experts believe the mere use of social media can influence marriages and sometimes even lead to divorce. Several cases have been cited in which evidence, or strong suspicion, of infidelity has been brought about by the use of social media. Additionally, a spouse’s use of social media during a divorce can serve to complicate the process by stoking emotional volatility between the spouses. Clearly, technology is influencing interpersonal relationships in a meaningful way. 

This does not mean that Connecticut residents are necessarily ready for the era of the “Facebook divorce.” For the moment, traditional means of separation are still preferred, and even those time-tested means can be complicated to a first-time divorcee. When both parties seek legal support during the process, it can make for a smoother transition for everyone involved. 

Source: thinkprogress.org, “Getting Divorced In The Facebook Era”, Lauren C. Williams, April 10, 2015