Divorce is a complicated process that can be monetarily and emotionally draining. We all think of a variety of scenarios when thinking about divorce, but typically the first thing that jumps to mind isn’t the consideration of how little privacy will come with the traditional divorce process. News of your divorce will spread like wildfire through the workplace, church, and community. Invasive, offensive, and upsetting questions can be expected. Family and friends with good intentions may not be the only people who are nosing in; others will as well, simply because they feel like there’s nothing wrong with doing so. After all, juicy gossip around the water cooler and even in the public eye is a trophy. But you have a right to privacy along with a responsibility to protect your privacy along with your reputation. Read on to learn more about how to protect your privacy throughout divorce court. Call Arturo R. Alfonso, P.A. today for a Miami family law attorney free consultation today.
Keeping Private Information Private
There are several ways your privacy may be intruded upon throughout the divorce process:
- One way in today’s technology-driven times is social media and the internet. Using digital devices to send and receive information also leaves footprints and copies of documents long after you think they’re destroyed. It’s important to remember that if you are planning on getting a divorce, anything you put online can be found by your spouse and used against you, even if the information is protected by a password and not available to the public. Think before you post anything on social media, and take measures to protect your online safety such as securing your passwords regularly.
- Private family details may be exposed during a divorce, particularly if you are a more public member of the community. Do you really want the public to know about your sex life (or lack thereof), any addiction problems you and your spouse suffer from, or debt and financial problems. When you are having your case heard in an open courtroom, your name and the details of your lie are being put out in the open to everybody who is present.
- Business matters may also be exposed in a public divorce, and if you start a business or become a partner during the duration of the marriage, the business may also be appraised during the divorce. You most likely don’t want these details made public. Think about the impact that disclosures about your personal business may have on any business deals that you are working on, and if you want to allow the details of your business to be disclosed in a public courtroom.
Protecting Your Privacy Through Divorce Court
All of this sensitive information is kept completely private in a collaborative divorce of mediation. In mediation, you, your spouse, and the mediator will be signing an agreement to mediate. If you go through a collaborative divorce process, you are signing a Collaborative Participation Agreement. In both cases, all parties involved agree that the matters will be handled confidentially. All negotiations are conducted through private conversations in the mediator’s or attorney’s offices, and financial and other documents are exchanged between everybody who is involved- but they are not filed with the court. Essentially, what’s heard and seen in the negotiation room will stay in that room. To find out more about your options, contact Arturo R. Alfonso, P.A. for a free Miami family law attorney consultation.
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There are options out there to protect your privacy throughout divorce court. To find out more, call Arturo R. Alfonso, P.A. for a Miami family law attorney free consultation.