In an age where most of our lives are displayed online, whether with blogs, social media outlets, videos, or even personal websites, it can be easy to forget how much impact the content you place online can have. When you are in the middle of a legal battle, whether a divorce, a custody trial, or a criminal case, your online presence can be harmful to your outcome.
How?
Once you are in the midst of a trial, your online activity can be used as evidence against you. Whether it be a social media post, content written by you on a blog or website, or even a video created and shared, if it contains information that is relevant and useful to the legal team working against you, it can be used by them. Technically once you put something out on the internet it becomes public property. While there are some limits to this (for example, the Creative Commons type licensing that protects artists and designers), social media typically doesn’t fall under these categories, and your information is pretty much open to anyone who wishes to pull it.
How then, can you protect yourself without locking down your online presence and feeling like a slave to your legal trial? It’s simple: think twice before posting. Obviously, NEVER mention anything about your trial, your legal team, the opposing party, etc. If it even remotely pertains to your case, keep it to yourself. Another type of post to avoid is those berating anyone on the opposing side. While it might not necessarily be able to be pulled as evidence or legal material, it can alter others’ opinions of you since it looks like you are “playing dirty”. This does nothing to help you in the courtroom nor in life following the case. If in doubt, the best way you can stay safe when posting online during a trial is to check with your lawyer first. He or she is the best judge on whether or not your online content could harm your case and its outcome. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you are facing a legal battle, WE STAND FOR YOU. Sessums Law Group is proud to serve Tampa, Lakeland, Sarasota, Sebring, and the surrounding areas with top-quality legal services. We take your case personally, and our goal is for you to feel confident, cared-for, and ready for each step of the process. Give us a call and let us help you.