Is Announcing Your Tennessee Divorce on Social Media a Good Idea?

Announcing Your Tennessee Divorce on Facebook and Social Media

For those who routinely post to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and other social media websites, deciding whether to share or withhold news of a Tennessee divorce should be taken seriously. News of your impending divorce is, after all, an intensely private matter. One that strongly affects your children’s future, your family relationships, and your closest friendships.

Divorce Parties, Cakes, Rings, and Announcements

There are divorce parties, divorce cakes, and even divorce rings, all of which are intended to memorialize the big “I un-Do.” If you decide to announce your divorce via social media, you would be wise to refrain from disclosing details or disparaging your spouse (or disparaging opposing counsel, your attorney, or the judge for that matter).

Pros and Cons of Breaking Your Divorce News Via Social Media

As with so many important decisions, there are pros and cons to announcing an upcoming divorce in a tweet, Instagram, or Facebook post. Consider the following:

Pro:  How easy it is to let everyone know via social media about the upcoming divorce. You won’t have to keep repeating the painful news, “We’re getting a divorce,” ad infinitum.

Con:  The friended and the followers now know your private news (and are likely to share it with others who have only a vicarious interest). Your personal business is now public. If you thought proactive disclosure would stop the inquiries, think again. Many will want to follow every detail of your Tennessee divorce. “Is the divorce final yet?” NO. “Did you get the house?” NO. “How much will you pay in alimony?” TOO MUCH. “How much is the divorce costing you?” WAY TOO MUCH!

Pro:  Celebrities announce their decisions to divorce all the time. For example, take NASCAR driver Danica Patrick’s Facebook post in 2012 about her marital break-up: “I am sad to inform my fans that after seven years, Paul and I have decided to amicably end our marriage.” (Patrick’s divorce by consent decree was signed in Arizona on April 15, 2013.)

Con:  Celebrities make announcements to their fans for publicity reasons, not privacy reasons.

Pro:  You’ll get plenty of support from those who really care about you.

Con:  You’ll get plenty of disdain from those who really care more about your soon-to-be ex-spouse.

Pro:  Your children are living with the other parent and need to know about the divorce.

Con:  News of their parents’ divorce should never be received by children through social media. Whenever possible, children need to learn about the divorce directly from their parents in an environment wherein they feel safe and sufficiently secure to ask questions (preferably face-to-face). Exposing minors to the truth of their parents’ marital break-up in an online post is almost certain to accomplish at least two things:  emotionally upset the children and seriously anger the judge.

Announcing the court’s divorce decree via social media may be less problematic than divulging the initial separation on your Facebook page. Consider keeping things on the QT until the court has issued all orders and the divorce is final, particularly when minor children are involved. Your children’s best interests always come first.

To learn more about the potential impact of social media evidence on the outcome of your divorce, read Memphis Divorce Attorney Warns: Stay Off Facebook & Twitter During Your Divorce Case.

Before Announcing Your Upcoming Divorce on Social Media

Interview with attorney Miles Mason, Sr., on social media evidence

Before you decide to announce your upcoming divorce on social media, take a moment to watch Tennessee Divorce, Facebook & Social Media Evidence.

Call us today at (901) 683-1850 to schedule a confidential consultation with Memphis divorce lawyer Miles Mason, Sr., founder of the Miles Mason Family Law Group, PLC. To help you get started and plan for what is ahead, take a moment to download our free e-Book about Your First Steps: 7 Steps Planning Your Tennessee Divorce.